The Hilanov Prophecy
by VanillaREM
Summary: A forgotten room underneath Balkov Abbey holds a prophecy foretelling that three chosen onesKai, Tala, and Sarahare to save the world from utter destruction from Biovolt's rival company. But can they? Or is it all just a hoax? TalaxKaixOC rated M for gore
1. Birth And Rebirth

Okay, so this is my first fanfic. This is kind of an anime fusion between Evangelion and Beyblade. Though I've used no Evangelion characters, some of my characters are based on Evangelion characters, so see if you can find the resemblences. Everyone puts "I don't own Beyblade or any of its characters" in their little description thingummys, so maybe I should put it too. I don't own Beyblade or any of its characters. If someone would care to tell me in a review, that would be nice;)  
  
Chapter 1: Birth and Rebirth  
  
Excerpts from Boris' diary  
July 23, 1980  
  
3 days ago, my younger sister Irina gave birth to a baby girl, my niece, Celeste Evelyn Langley. I am now an uncle, Uncle Boris, if you will. I have seen Celeste, and I am sure that if Biovolt ever becomes a major enterprise, she shall be a valuable asset to the corporation. We must make sure that she survives through childhood. the few members of us at Biovolt there are.  
  
April 10,1981  
  
Good news. Voltaire, the Biovolt team's leader, has managed to purchase land with an abandoned Russian Orthodox abbey, where we may carry out our scientific experiments in secret. Celeste is healthy and thriving.  
  
November 17,1982  
  
The Biovolt team is in a pandemonic state. Celeste has gone missing. She was left under the eye of Leon, but as he turned his back, she ran off somewhere. We can only hope that she is still within the abbey's vicinity. If she has gone outside, she will surely freeze to death. No one is more worried than Nigel, Irina, and I, for she is their only daughter and my only niece.  
  
November 18,1982  
  
We have found Celeste. She was outside, on the bank of the river, dead. There were no wounds or blood, so we knew that she wasn't murdered. She was taken back to the abbey, where tests were consulted and our scientists came to the conclusion that she had frozen to death, as we had suspected. Poor thing, she had a bright future in store.  
  
November 21, 1982  
  
Irina is still traumatized, and was therefore trapped in a reverie during our meeting on what to do about Celeste. That was when Lutka came up with a novel idea. "Why don't we resurrect her?" Everyone was astonished until she explained about cryogenating experiments that the scientists had been up to. She said that 90 percent of the experiments had succeeded. With Nigel and Irina's consent, we began preparations for Biovolt's first full- scale operation.  
  
December 1, 1982  
  
Celeste is being cryogenated. The plan is to revive her in ten years. Hopefully this experiment will work. I hope that I can once again be an uncle, able to watch that young child blossom into a beautiful flower of a lady, who will find a suitor. Of course, her Beyblading skills will come first, though.  
  
March 30, 1986  
  
Xenia and her husband Kaji are now parents. Today, their daughter, Rhea Hiwatari was born.  
  
June 6,1986  
  
Nigel and Irina have another child; a male. His name is Samson Langley.  
  
December 4, 1986  
  
Lutka and Sergei now have a daughter; Anya Romanov. She is a clone from some fossilized human remains our scientists found.  
  
June 25,1987  
  
Biovolt is now a fully operational enterprise. We are a training facility for young Beyblading warriors, who will help us carry out our ambitions. Beybladers Intent On Victory Over Lost Tyranny will also train Anya, Rhea and Samson. Now only two years old, but when the time is right, Nigel Irina And I will tell Samson of his older, rather younger sister, Celeste. Voltaire feels he is getting older, and has therefore appointed me president of the Biovolt Corporation. Voltaire has other duties to attend to, but will continue to fund the corporation as long as his granddaughter Rhea is still trained there. Although this goes on, he is still Vice President. I have made my sister Irina the operations director, Lutka the head scientist and Xenia the head technician.  
  
March 20, 1990  
  
Lutka and Sergei have had another child; a boy named Tala Sergevitch Romanov. He is 4-year-old Anya's younger brother.  
  
July 20, 1990  
  
We plan to resurrect Celeste 2 years from now.  
  
November 20, 1990  
  
Biovolt's first syndicate human was a success. Born today and although a mad mix of parts, his parents are Kaji and Xenia. His name is Kai Daimyo Hiwatari, Rhea's younger brother. Voltaire believes that he will make a fine suitor for Celeste, if the experiment works. However, I think that Tala would do a better job, whom I have great expectations for. Neither know for sure who Celeste will choose. She may choose someone different altogether(not if I can help it), though Irina and Nigel will have the authority.  
  
July 20, 1992  
  
Yes! The experiment was a success! I once again have a niece, while Irina and Nigel have their daughter back. The whole Biovolt Corporation is ecstatic, while 6-year-old Samson, Rhea, and Anya seem a bit confused. Kai and Tala are too young too understand. Let's just hope that Celeste doesn't die, again. She's been given a new name; Sarah, an acronym for Select Cryogenic Resurrection Achieved Human. Okay, so that's Scrah, but we thought about that and came to the conclusion of "Who would want to go through life being called 'Scrah'?". Irina and Nigel have decided to send her to Canada, at least until she is older. Nigel will take her, since Irina is too burdened with work to go. As much as I want Sarah to stay here with me, I know that I mustn't interfere with her parents' best wishes. Samson was given the choice of going to Canada or staying in Russia. He chose to stay in Russia. Samson, Irina, and I went to the airport to bid Nigel and Sarah adieu. I hope that that valuable Beyblading asset and my paths will cross again. I could not stand not being able to see my only niece.  
  
September 11, 1993  
  
We now have 2 orphans within the abbey vicinity. Kaji and Xenia Hiwatari were involved in a car accident today and unfortunately, did not survive, leaving Kai and Rhea in our care.  
  
Be sure to give your honest opinions with the reviews. Please and thank- Q^_^! 


	2. Return To Russia

Thank you to those who reviewed. All two of you. It really spurs me to continue.  
  
Chap Recap: The last chapter was just excerpts from Boris Balkov's diary. I'll bet you never thought that Boris could be that mushy. I also bet you found that agonizing to read.Anyway, the rest of the chapters will be in the third person.  
  
May 30, 1995  
  
The young Kai Hiwatari sat on the bank of the Volga River in Moscow. Though Boris and the other elders had told him under no circumstances to stray from the Abbey's vicinity, Kai had never been one to obey. After all, how could he be punished if he didn't go back?  
  
The bank was completely covered in a blanket of light, fluffy snow, snow that sheathed a layer of ice. As Kai continued to stare contemplating how much he hated the Abbey life, the snow began to slide from under him. Taking him with it, it veered down the hill, much to fast for Kai to move, let alone think of moving. He tumbled into the icy cold waters of the Volga with a petrified yell.  
  
Sarah trudged along the bank of the river, cold and disoriented. Unlike where Kai had been, there was no snow or ice in the area, and it was farther away from the city.  
  
Sarah had become lost trying to follow a map, a map that led from the airport to the Abbey- the very Abbey that Kai had run away from. She had received a letter from her mother and uncle saying that they were inviting her to take part in a training program that the Abbey specialized in- one for Beyblading. Her father had agreed to let her go, so long as her mother or uncle picked her up from the airport. But, of course, once Sarah had stepped off the plane, there was no one awaiting her arrival, nor did she know who to look for, since she hadn't seen them since she was two-years- old.  
  
She glanced at the Volga's rushing waters. "I wish someone were here with me. Anyone. I'm so cold and lonely.Where are mother and uncle?"  
  
At that particular moment, she noticed something floating in the water. It looked like a human body.Male,.her age. unconscious.She continued to stare at the figure for a moment longer before she ran to the edge of the river and knelt down. "Umm.Excuse me! Sir? Mister! Are you dead, kid?" she called out.  
  
There was no reply as the prone body continued to float down the river, towards the waterfall. Sarah glanced at the waterfall and then back at the unconscious boy. "Hang on! I'll save you!" she cried. She looked around her for something to reach him with. Nothing.  
  
She looked back at the waterfall. A ledge! She could reach him from there! She ran over and pulled herself up onto the ledge overhanging the ten-metre drop. She lay on her stomach and let her hand drop down so that she could grab the blue-haired boy. Closer, closer he came until finally she could reach him. She grabbed the neck of his shirt and began to pull. "Ugh! He's heavy!" she grunted.  
  
Slowly, but surely, she pulled him up onto the ledge with her. She threw herself against the wall, panting from the exertion. The boy, completely drenched and icy was still unconscious. Still panting quite heavily, she looked down at the boy gradually. "You alright?"  
  
The boy didn't respond.  
  
Sarah had a small smile on her face. "Well, I guess you can't really talk if you're not awake." She eased herself away from the wall and crawled over to him on all fours. "Are you alive? If you can hear me, say something."  
  
The boy didn't move, but then all of a sudden began to wince and cringe. His eyelids to flickered open. Sarah simpered even more. "You're alright!" she exclaimed.  
  
The boy rolled over to face Sarah. "Who are you?" he questioned groggily.  
  
"Who? Me? Oh! I'm Sarah! And you'd be over that waterfall if it weren't for me!" She said with pride.  
  
The boy propped himself up. "Really.I didn't know that was my name."  
  
Sarah watched as he struggled to get up, then fell back down again. "You must be frozen after being I that river. Here. you can borrow my jacket," She said as she said as she took off her coat and handed it over to him.  
  
He stared at he jacket for a moment. "No thanks. What about you? You'll freeze."  
  
"My father made me wear tons of layers because he wasn't sure how cold it would be in Russia, and frankly, I'm burning up! Take it! You need it more than I do." She pushed the jacket against his chest.  
  
He was about to protest again when he saw the determination in her large greenish-grey eyes. "Uhh. Thank you, Sarah," he grumbled with embarrassment as put on the jacket. "So, you mustn't be from Russia."  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"You said your father didn't know about the weather here."  
  
"I really don't think I should tell you anymore when I don't even know your name."  
  
"Kai"  
  
"Thank you. Well, Kai.As a matter of fact, I'm not from Russia. I'm a Canadian, and proud of it!"  
  
"So you should be. I've heard of a man called Nigel, head programmer of the BBA, is a leading authority on Beyblading. He is Canadian, right?"  
  
"Yes, of course. I know that already because he's my father."  
  
Kai gasped. "What? Is that true?"  
  
Sarah nodded. "I wouldn't say it if it weren't. Anyway, we should get down from here. Won't your parents be worried?"  
  
Kai glanced at her wanfully. "Sure."  
  
Sarah watched him with a confused expression for a moment longer before crawling to the ledge's edge and jumping off. She looked up at Kai and held her arms out. "Come on, Kai! I'll catch you!"  
  
Kai looked at her quizzically.  
  
Sarah lowered her arms and scowled at him in annoyance. "Or not. Hey, just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I'm any less capable than you are."  
  
Kai shifted so that his legs hung over the edge. "Okay, then," he sighed. He pushed himself off. He landed right on top of her, face down. He lay there for a moment recovering from the shock, and then pushed himself off. "Sorry.You okay?" he questioned as he helped her up.  
  
Sarah swayed to and fro, dizzy. "Sure." Kai steadied her by gripping her shoulders.  
  
"So, what brings you to Russia?" Kai asked as they walked along the riverbank towards the city.  
  
"My uncle and mother live in Russia. They invited me to train at their company to improve my Beyblading skills. Say, where are we going?"  
  
"To Biovolt Abbey. It's where I live."  
  
Sarah gasped. "Really? That's what I was looking for before I got lost and found you!"  
  
"Your mother and uncle work at Biovolt?"  
  
"Oh, yes! Irina, my mother is Operations Director, and my Uncle Boris is the President."  
  
Kai stopped walking and froze. Boris. 'How could a man that cruel be a relative of girl so sweet? It just didn't make sense,' he thought.  
  
"Kai?" Sarah's voice woke him from his reverie. "You okay?"  
  
"Uhh.yeah."  
  
"Good! So.could you tell me what the Abbey's like?"  
  
Kai continued to walk again. 'Best to lie,' he thought. "Well."  
  
When they finally reached the Abbey, the two snuck in through the large wooden doors. The Abbey's primary division trainees were Beyblading in the courtyard. Kai stared at a tall man watching a young red-haired boy battle.  
  
"Who's that?" Sarah asked. Kai whirled around to shush her as the tall man looked in their direction.  
  
"Kai!" he barked, his voice low, raspy, and heinous.  
  
Kai stood erect. "Yes, sir!" he shouted back.  
  
The man turned to the red-haired boy. "Come with me, Tala."  
  
"Yes, sir," the boy replied as he called back his blade and followed the man.  
  
The man stopped a metre away from Kai and Sarah. Sarah, who was cowering behind Kai, gawked at the man's incredible height. "Where have you been, Kai?"  
  
"Outside the Abbey, sir. I'm sor-"  
  
"There is no excuse, young man. To become a Beyblader, you must train. And running away from the Abbey isn't the way to do it. I have a good mind to banish you." Kai and the man continued to leer at eachother, neither one moving. The red-haired boy began to smile cynically at Kai's misfortune as Sarah still cowered.  
  
"Who is that girl?" the man grilled.  
  
Kai looked at Sarah and then back at the man. "This is Sarah. She's.been looking for you, Boris."  
  
Boris' scowl turned to stunned shock as Sarah stepped out from behind Kai. "Uncle.Boris?"  
  
Kai and the other boy watched in amazement as Boris began to smile. He knelt down and outstretched his arms. "Sarah! So good to see you, my niece!"  
  
Sarah ran to him and hugged him. "I've finally found you! Where's mother?"  
  
"She's.busy," Boris replied as Kai and the boy continued to stare at the unexpected reaction from Boris, The boy thinking the same thing as Kai had before, and Kai feeling foolish in a girl's coat. "You must be cold," Boris said.  
  
"Not really," Sarah replied, "Father told me to wear too much- it's better than wearing too little."  
  
Boris stood up. "No matter. I'm taking you inside, anyway. I have to show you your living quarters." He looked at Kai. "I suppose you already know Kai?"  
  
Sarah nodded as Boris gestured to the red-haired boy. "This is Tala, one of my best trainees." Boris glowered at Kai once more before leading them inside. He took them to the dormitories. Boris opened the door to one room. "This is where you will be staying, Sarah."  
  
"What? But this is my room!" Kai and Tala exclaimed in unison. "Bryan, and Spencer, and Ian's, too." Tala trailed off.  
  
"I know. I'll expect you two to watch out for her and help her around the Abbey. As a novice, it will take her a while before she gets used to routine," Boris answered.  
  
"She's training at the Abbey and you expect me to share my room with a girl?!" Tala exclaimed.  
  
"Yes and yes."  
  
"But-" Tala stopped once he saw the angered look on Boris' face. Tala looked at Sarah, who was staring innocently back at him. He scrutinized her from head to toe. Shoulder-length brown hair with red ribbons and eyes that changed colour depending on how the light caught them; though mainly green. A purple matched ensemble of long-sleeved shirt with a ribbon around the neck and fake jewel and knee-long skirt with black nylons and shoes. He couldn't help but feel slight sympathy for her.  
  
Boris took them back outside and set all of the primary trainees up for an elimination Beybattle. All of the boys and one girl readied their blades, and then fired on Boris' signal. The Beyblades flew into the large dish in the centre of the courtyard. After about five seconds, Beyblades began to slow to a stop or fly from the dish; their defeat. This continued until only three blades were left spinning- Kai's, Tala's, And Sarah's. Boris was surprised. He had expected this turnout from Kai and Tala , but not from Sarah. Never would he have thought that she'd be at such an advanced level, not that it was a bad thing. Then finally, the three Beyblades came together in the middle with a collision that sent all three flying from the dish.  
  
October 26, 1996 Boris had made select trainees gather in the testing facility. The boys (and girl) were told to make a circle around the dish, to see the experimental demonstration of three new Biovolt creations. Three new blades with Bit Beasts: Fovular, the fox, Wolborg, the wolf, and Black Dranzer, the phoenix. Among the selected prodigy trainees were Kai, Tala and Sarah. And since this was such a special event, Boris had invited Gilepse, the president of Goadbwa (Genesis Of Apocalyptic Defeat Beyblading Weapon Artillery) Enterprises, to see the demonstrational battle.  
  
Gilepse, like Boris, was lean and tall. Though instead of having purple hair and grey eyes, he had dark brown hair that was almost black and grey eyes. He squinted through his glasses and through the glass that surrounded the dish as he stood beside Boris. Kai had his face and hands pressed against the glass, anticipating what was to come. Sarah and Tala, now friends, stood just behind him.  
  
Another minute passed, and then Boris began to explain to the trainees. "What you are about to witness, me children, is a great scientific Beyblading breakthrough by the Biovolt Corporation. This is what shall lead you warriors to victory."  
  
With that, Boris signalled to Leon in the control room, who pressed a button to fire numerous blades into the dish. Then he pressed another button, the button to release the Wolborg Beyblade. It was grey with a green Bit Beast. It particularly caught Tala's attention. Wolborg zipped around the dish, knocking out the other blades with great efficiency.  
  
Even after defeating all of those blades, it kept spinning as Boris commanded for the Biovolt members to clear the dish. Leon fired the Beyblades again, but this time pressed the button to release Black Dranzer, mesmerizing Kai. It did much the same thing that Wolborg had.  
  
Leon reset the demonstration dish, and this time sent out Fovular, catching Sarah's eye. The purple blade with yellow Bit Beast seemed to do a better job than Black Dranzer or Wolborg. Gilepse was impressed by all three.  
  
That night, Kai sat in the dormitories, deep in thought over Black Dranzer. Spencer looked up from his game of cards with Ian, Bryan, and Tala. "What's with you?"  
  
"I was just thinking of Black Dranzer," he replied after a short pause.  
  
"Same here. Only I prefer Fovular," Sarah added, looking up from the book she was reading.  
  
"Wolborg's the one for me," Tala said as he placed a card down on the deck. "Draw two, Bryan."  
  
Bryan growled.  
  
"Too bad Boris wouldn't let you try them." Ian mentioned.  
  
Bryan placed a card down. "I wish I could have seen the demo."  
  
"You'll get your chance," Sarah replied with a smile.  
  
After the other five had gone to sleep, Kai remained awake. He couldn't stop thinking about Black Dranzer. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to try it out. Silently, he slipped out of bed and then out of the room. He snuck past Boris' room, where he was fast asleep. Kai crept down the staircase towards the experimental room. One Biovolt member stood guard over the door. Kai decided the best way to make it past was to distract him.  
  
Kai kicked the wall he hid behind and quickly ran to hide. He waited as the guard sauntered down the hall where the sound had come from. Then, he darted to the door and slipped inside. Inside, he saw the dish, Fovular, Wolborg, and. Black Dranzer. All three Beyblades were in separate glass cases. He wouldn't be able to lift the glass; he'd have to break it.  
  
Slowly, he walked over to it and kicked the glass case. It shattered and Black Dranzer was now at his fingertips. He smirked as he reached out to pick it up. He fit it into his launcher and traipsed to the dish. The glass still surrounded it. "Hmm.We'll see how strong you really are, Black Dranzer," he said slyly.  
  
"Let it rip!" he cried as he fired the Beyblade. The Beyblade penetrated the glass and sent some flying straight at Kai. He hadn't expected that. He yelled as he shielded himself; yells of pain as the shards tore at his body.  
  
Black Dranzer flew into the dish and spun around a few times until it began to glow. Black Dranzer slid down the walls and into the centre of the dish. Red light shot up from it, right towards the sky. It bored through the ceiling of the dish and blew it apart. Then it moved on to the test facility's ceiling, blasting the sturdy, heavy bricks an stones, sending them crashing down on the dish and Kai. The light did the same throughout the Abbey levels above and then began to widen, engulfing the whole dish then moving on to the whole room. Kai fled from the room and ran straight out, oblivious of the guard. "Hey kid! Where are you going?"  
  
Kai ignored him and kept running. The entire Abbey was now beginning to shake and collapse from the numerous explosions. The falling bricks and trembling ground only made him run faster to find an exit, until someone grabbed his bloody arm; a black-haired, brown-eyed woman. "What are you doing? Evacuate the Abbey, now!"  
  
Kai stared at his bleeding arm and then up at the woman.  
  
"Move it!" she screamed over the roar of the explosions. She dragged him with her outside of the Abbey building and into the courtyard, where the other trainees and Biovolt members were.  
  
Kai saw Bryan, Spencer, Ian, Tala, and Sarah among the throng, and Boris surveying the damage being done. The lady that had dragged Kai from the Abbey hurried over to Boris. "What's happening, Boris?"  
  
"Someone has tried to use Black Dranzer," he replied solemnly.  
  
"Look at that!" The woman exclaimed as she pointed to the beam of red light shot into the sky.  
  
Horizontal beams were beginning to emerge from the vertical one; one.two.three; making a papal cross of red light against the dark night sky.  
  
"Maybe this means something." Boris said as he glanced down at Kai, Tala, and Sarah.  
  
Okay, if you even made it this far, sorry for it being so long-_-'. I'm just trying to compress this story from an original 25 chapters down to a 14-15 chapter story. Tell me in a review whether you want long chapters but fewer chapters altogether or vice versa. Thank-Q^-^! 


	3. Journey To Japan

3. Journey To Japan  
  
"Leon! Contact Voltaire and Gilepse. Tell them of the damage and ask for their help."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Vladimir! Get the maintenance team to start reconstruction of the north and east wings."  
  
"Right away, sir."  
  
It was the morning after the Black Dranzer incident, and Boris giving commands and orders to all of the Biovolt members. Boris had given the trainees a day off; no tests, classes, nor Beyblading was to be done during construction. Boris glowered through his red and black glasses at the monitors in the control room of the work being done. He was angered, yet pleased. He now knew of the true child prodigy that would assist in fulfilling the ambitions of the Biovolt Corporation.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Boris turned around to see the black-haired, brown-eyed woman that had saved Kai. "What is it?"  
  
"What should we do with the culprit? And who is the culprit?" she questioned.  
  
Boris faced the screens of the control room again. "We'll do nothing. Whoever it was that decided to test Black Dranzer has great potential, otherwise the Beast wouldn't have reacted like that."  
  
"Then shouldn't we take precautionary measures to make sure that this child doesn't leave the Abbey?"  
  
"I know who they are. All we need to do is make sure they don't perish," Boris replied nonchalantly.  
  
" 'They'?"  
  
Boris outstretched his gloved hand and placed three amulets in the palm of her hand. "All three Beyblades were recovered from the wreckage, right?"  
  
She nodded and looked at the amulets in confusion.  
  
"While only one tested Black Dranzer, three have their sights set on those three blades."  
  
"Who, Boris?"  
  
He glanced away from her and at the screens. "Give them the crosses in their birth order, resembled by the horizontal beams. The Latin goes to the First, the Patriarchal to the Second, and the Papal to the Third."  
  
"That still doesn't tell me who, Boris!" she repeated.  
  
Boris turned and looked her straight in the eye. "Xenia's, Lutka's, and yours."  
  
November 26, 1997  
  
The Abbey was now as good as new; the Abbey's maintenance team had repaired everything and Abbey life resumed back to normal. Sarah sat in the dormitory looking at a piece of paper. The other boys were no where in sight (for the moment).  
  
"Hmm.if I could sneak in there.I should probably ask Kai. He's been there and done that."  
  
"Been where and done what?  
Sarah looked up in surprise. She grabbed the paper and hid it behind her back at he sight of Kai standing in the doorway. "Nothing!"  
  
"That's impossible," Kai said with a conniving smile.  
  
Sarah shook her head and smiled sheepishly. "No it's not."  
  
They stared at each other for a moment longer until Sarah realized she wasn't going to win this time. She sighed and pulled the paper from behind her back. Kai walked up to her and sat on the bed beside her. He glanced at the paper to see a complex line design with writing here and there. It looked like sketches of Balkov Abbey. "I never knew you drew so well."  
  
Sarah began to blush. "Thank you."  
  
"But anyway, what is this supposed to be?"  
  
Sarah paused. 'Can I tell him? Will he be for or against it?' "Uh.Well, K-Kai."  
  
Kai's impending stare only intimidated her even more.  
  
"Well. I plan to.umm.. leave the Abbey." she stammered.  
  
Kai was taken aback. "What? Why?" 'Mind you, I don't like it here myself.' he thought.  
  
Sarah looked away out of embarrassment. "It's nothing personal, I want to be here with Spencer, Bryan, Ian, Tala and you, but. I love my Uncle Boris, but."  
  
'How can she?!' he pondered. "But what?"  
  
Sarah returned to her perky character. "I have to see the world, you know?"  
  
He glared at her in confusion. "I don't see what that has to do with me."  
  
Sarah became uneasy again. "Ahh. Well that's an entirely different story, I'm afraid. You see, I planned to take Fovular with me."  
  
Kai began to laugh. "Then tell me, Sarah, have you ever been to Japan?"  
  
At that moment, Bryan walked in. "Did I miss anything?"  
  
Sarah whipped the paper behind her back. "No," Sarah and Kai chanted with sheepish grins.  
  
November 30, 1997  
  
It was lunchtime for the trainees, but Kai and Sarah were busy making their great escape. Tala hadn't heard nor known of their plan, and was therefore in abashment. He couldn't eat without his best friends being there. He played with the food on his plate as Spencer, Bryan, and Ian wolfed theirs down.  
  
" Tala, If you're not going to eat that, may I?" asked Spencer.  
  
Tala awoke from his reverie with a start. "Huh? Oh.Yeah.sure.whatever.Say, have any of you seen Kai or Sarah?"  
  
They all shook their heads as Tala stood up. "Well, I'm going to go look for them."  
  
Ian froze with the food halfway to his mouth. "I'm coming, then. You know, to make sure you don't get side-tracked."  
  
Tala scowled at him. "You don't think I'm responsible, do you?"  
  
Ian looked at Bryan and Spencer who began to giggle and avert their gaze from Tala. Ian turned back to Tala and struggled not to burst out laughing. "Partly. Actually, I wanted to see the entertainment."  
  
"Entertainment?" questioned Tala.  
  
"The romance entertainment," Bryan whispered to Spencer, yet so that Tala couldn't hear.  
  
Tala and Ian looked at Bryan and Spencer as they heard coughing from them choking on mouthfuls of food and a resounding bang as the bench toppled and they both fell on the floor. Ian burst out laughing along with the other two as Tala glared at them with narrowed, angered eyes.  
  
"Now, all you have to do is scream," Kai explained as he peered around the corner to see the guard.  
  
"Scream?" Sarah mimicked with a puzzled look.  
  
"Yes, scream," he reiterated.  
  
Sarah cocked her head to one side. "Won't I attract attention, then? I thought the objective was to be discrete?"  
  
Kai sighed. "Others' naivety will be my downfall." he mumbled. "Look, you want to attract attention so that you distract the guard."  
  
Sarah placed her hands akimbo and leered at him. "Why am I the distraction?"  
  
Kai sighed again and rolled his eyes. "Because."  
  
" 'Because' isn't a reason!" she countered.  
  
Kai didn't want to reply. He'd wait for her to give in. They always did if he just kept his composure.  
  
"Okay! Okay! Calm down, Mister Ignorant!" Sarah cried as she folded her arms and stuck her nose prissily in the air. She took a deep breath in and.  
  
"Yahh! What the?" Kai had the living daylights scared out of him. So sudden, so shrill.She had an impressive set of lungs there!  
  
It reverberated off the Abbey's stone walls, creating an echo almost equal in decibel level to the actual scream itself.  
  
She stopped after five seconds. "What now?"  
  
Kai looked to see the guard coming. "Hah! We run!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her arm. Kai dragged her right past the guard and into the test facility.  
  
Kai dusted himself off and began to look around the room, felling a scowl against his back. He whirled around to see Sarah doing the exact thing; arms folded and daunting as ever. Kai glowered back. "Sorry, okay? But would you rather the guard or I drag you away?"  
  
"Hmph!" She looked away from him.  
  
Kai threw his arms up in despair and began to search the room for the Beyblades. After a moment or two, Sarah joined in on the search. "So where are they supposed to be? You had no trouble finding them the last time."  
  
Kai glared at her in irritation. "They were in the open, last time." He looked towards the control room. "There they are! In there!" He pointed to the glass of the room. The Beyblades and their cases had been moved in there.  
  
Sarah surveyed the control room. "Great, but how do we get in?" She walked over to the door of the room and tried to turn the knob. "It's locked."  
  
Kai moved towards the wall farthest away from the glass. "Of course. Hasn't it occurred to you that they don't want us in there?" he relied sarcastically.  
  
Sarah stuck her tongue out at him and stepped away from the control room. "What are you doing now, Mr. Know- It - All?"  
  
Without replying, he ran straight towards the control room glass, jumped, and threw his weight against it. The glass broke and Kai fell against the hard floor. Sarah gasped and ran to him. "Kai! Are you okay?"  
  
He looked up slowly to see what damage he had done. "Yeah. That glass was harder than I thought. Get the Beyblades, quick!"  
  
"Right!" Sarah nodded. She carefully stepped over him and through the broken glass, into the room. She skipped to the cases and tipped the heavy receptacles containing Black Dranzer and Fovular. The cases ruptured and out tumbled the two blades. She picked them up, one in each hand, and looked up at the remaining case; the one containing Wolborg. 'I wonder if Tala wants it.and if he wants to come with us.' she pondered.  
  
She went back to Kai, who had recovered by himself by now. "Come on, let's go," he said.  
  
He led her to the door and opened it. The guard wasn't there. The two made a run for it towards the main entrance of the Abbey as Sarah handed Kai Black Dranzer.  
  
"Sarah!" "Kai!"  
  
Tala and Ian's resonated through the corridors as their footsteps pounded quickly. They finally stopped to catch their breath at the Abbey's main entrance. "Where could they be?" Tala questioned rhetorically.  
  
"I'll bet you they're in the cafeteria, eating. We just didn't see them," Ian panted.  
  
"If you were only going to complain, then why'd you come?" Tala scolded.  
  
Ian replied with a shrug.  
  
"That's not an answer!"  
  
Tok, tok, tok.  
  
Tala and Ian looked up and peered down the corridor as they heard fast- paced footsteps. They saw two figures rapidly approaching them, and strained to see who they were. "Kai! Sarah!" they exclaimed in unison.  
  
"That's Tala and Ian!" Sarah managed to gasp between deep breaths.  
  
Kai and Sarah stopped as they came to Tala and Ian, who were blocking the exit. Sarah and Kai hid the blades behind their backs.  
  
"There you are! Where were you?" Tala questioned like an annoyed mother.  
  
Sarah and Kai glanced sideways at each other. "Somewhere," replied Kai.  
  
"Where's 'somewhere'?" grilled Ian.  
  
"Somewhere," Sarah answered with a phlegmatic shrug. She looked up and into Tala's eyes. She saw that abundant, seductive sky blue that he demanded to know, like a faithful, worried husband would. She sighed. "I can win a Beybattle but not a staring match.Kai and I plan to leave the Abbey. It's not that we don't like it here"  
  
"Yes it is," Kai interrupted.  
  
She shot him a dagger glare. "Says you! Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I'll miss you guys very much, but I can't just live here all my life. I'm one who needs excitement, I need adventure!" She exclaimed as she pulled out her hand, accidentally revealing the purple blade. "Umm. You didn't see that." She whipped her hand behind again.  
  
"Oh, yes I did," Ian persisted.  
  
Kai explained this time. "We're taking the Beyblades with us. Black Dranzer and Fovular."  
  
"Th-that's." Ian gasped. He placed a hand on his hip and outstretched the other authoritatively. "Hand them over and we'll let you pass. Or else."  
  
Kai and Sarah looked down at Ian. He was much smaller than both of them. "Or else, what?" Kai mocked.  
  
"Tala! Help me here!" Ian cried as he looked up at Tala. Tala didn't reply, he seemed to be in some sort of trance, scarcely blinking as he stared at Sarah in disbelief. Ian waved a hand in front of Tala's face. "Hello? Earth to Tala!"  
  
Ian waited a moment, but there was still no response. "Fine then! Who needs him, anyway? I won't let you pass."  
  
Tala then 'woke up'. "Huh? Umm.Yeah! We won't let you pass."  
  
Kai and Sarah looked at each other again, then outstretched their hands, conferring to Tala and Ian Black Dranzer and Fovular.  
  
Tala stared at Fovular lying in Sarah's hand. He looked in to her determined eyes that the light reflected as greyish-green. "You're.leaving?" he asked, heartbroken.  
  
Sarah smiled and nodded slowly. "Yes."  
  
Ian took Black Dranzer from Kai as Tala reached out shakily and took Fovular. "It's too bad you're not staying. Are you sure about this?" Ian said as he looked at Black Dranzer and up at Kai.  
  
Kai moved to the large doors and placed his hand on the handle. "We're sure. Bye, guys. Come on, Sarah."  
  
Sarah turned to Kai, nodded, and then turned back to Tala. "I'm sorry it has to be like this." She reached out and hugged him, tightly. Tala froze and stared at the wall right in front of him. Then, he loosened up and slowly returned the embrace. He could feel the Latin cross that she had been given press against his Patriarchal cross and into his chest. "Goodbye, Tala, Ian. Say goodbye to Bryan and Spencer for me, and don't forget me, either," he heard her say, close to his ear.  
  
A strange feeling overcame him, a feeling he'd never really felt before; compassion. Unconsciously, his eyes began to water as he felt his shoulder become wet. "Will do." He couldn't stand to see her like this. He felt she should have some sort of consolation. Discretely, so that no one but him saw, he placed Fovular in Sarah's pocket. 'Boris could behead me if he finds out.' he thought as he watched it slip inside. He gazed back at Sarah. "I won't tell Boris, okay?"  
  
Sarah pulled away. "Thank you. I wouldn't want him to worry. Say, would you two like to come with us? Kai and I wouldn't mind."  
  
Tala was about to answer when Ian intercepted him. "No, that's okay."  
  
"Come on, Sarah. I hate long goodbyes," Kai pressed.  
  
Sarah scampered over to Kai, who ushered her out the door, and then paused. "Goodbye, you two," he said without turning around. "You guys were good friends, and.I hope we can meet again, someday."  
  
As he hurried off after Sarah towards the main gate, Tala noticed something missing; Sarah's ribbon on the right side of her head. Not knowing what to do, he continued to stare at the retreating figures who were now at the gates.  
  
"There's something in your hair, Tala," taunted Ian as he nudged Tala's elbow playfully.  
  
Normally, Tala would have growled and countered, but he wasn't in the mood.  
  
Tala reached to the back of his head and pulled away something long, thin and red.a ribbon! Sarah's ribbon! It must have become caught as she hugged him. He looked up. "Sarah! You forgot your."  
  
There was no one there. ".ribbon."  
  
It's a young romantic tragedy! Will Kai and Sarah make it to Japan? Will Tala be caught and banished by Boris? Will I make the next chapter shorter? Find out by reading it! 


	4. Canada Calling

4. Canada Calling  
  
December 4, 1997  
  
"It still amazes me on how you were able to make us stowaways on a plane," Kai said with bewilderment in his voice as he gazed around the plane's cargo hold.  
  
Sarah sat with her back against a large crate. "Nothing hard, really. All it takes is precision and timing."  
  
Kai and Sarah had stowed away in a plane that leaving Moscow and landing in Tokyo. The plane had been in flight one or two hours, but there was still farther to go. The two had occupied the time by talking and waiting. Now they were becoming restless and yearned for a Beybattle.  
  
Kai readied his blue and green blade as he fit it in to his launcher. He stood poised, ready to fire, waiting for Sarah to become in the same position. Sarah reached into her pocket to find two Beyblades instead of one. She pulled them both out. "What's Fovular doing here?" she exclaimed.  
  
Kai lowered his shooter and knelt down beside her. "Didn't you give it to Tala?"  
  
"Yes, I'm positive I did."  
  
Kai stood upright. "Well, it's too late to go back and return or ask, now. Indulge and enjoy!"  
  
Sarah's face lit up as she observed the blade reverently. "You're right, Ka-aaiieee!" she screamed as the plane made a sudden jerk.  
  
Kai lost his balance and fell to his knees beside her.  
  
The whole plane was shaking, as if there was an earthquake. "What's happening, Kai?"  
  
The plane now trembled so violently that one of the stacked crate piles began to topple. It headed straight for Kai and Sarah. Kai grabbed Sarah and pulled her out of the way, just before the heavy crates came down where they had originally been. He lay her in the corner of the room, where there were no crates and it would be safest. He threw himself down beside her.  
  
An announcement from the pilot came over the PA system. "We are experiencing turbulence in the plane because of engine troubles and shall have to make an emergency landing. Please remain calm, as you are safe and in good hands."  
  
The colour drained from Sarah's face. "That's not good."  
  
The pilot brought the plane down slowly, all the while struggling to keep it in control. At 100 metres, though, he finally lost it. The plane took a nosedive for a rock jutting out of the snow. Fortunately, the plane narrowly missed a direct hit with the rock, but that didn't stop it from being grazed by it.  
  
The jagged rock ran along the left side of the plane, lacerating it from cockpit to cargo hold. Kai and Sarah had luckily been in the right corner of the room, yet they watched in horror as the blood-covered rock flashed by, ripping apart the thick metal like a knife through warm butter. They saw the wing flying away across the ice along with other plane parts and human bodies and parts. Snow entered through the gaping hole.  
  
Seeing their chance of escape, Kai and Sarah made their way over to the giant aperture. The plane was still skidding across the snow-covered ice, but they knew that if they waited for it to stop, they'd be caught. "Do we jump?" Sarah yelled over the roar of the engine, screams, and deteriorating plane; the sounds of the cacophonous Siberian night.  
  
Kai didn't reply, but simply grabbed her in his arms as he had before and leapt into the zephyr of snow and metal. The two flew through the air and tumbled across the ice. As they came to a stop, Sarah looked up slowly at Kai. His head was down and he lay still, though still had a vice-like grip on her. He had taken a pretty nasty fall.  
  
He was in a position so that he shielded her from the snow carried by the north wind. Sarah staggered to get up, propping him up in doing so. Kai, who had had his eyes screwed shut before, now opened them and gazed at Sarah. She was staring in horror at what was behind him. He torpidly turned to see the plane gliding across the ice towards a grove of trees on land. An explosion occurred in the cargo hold, and the flames from it engulfed the whole plane. 'If I hadn't jumped.' thought Kai, with wide, petrified eyes.  
  
The two watched as screaming, panicked people began to exit the plane, the crew directing them to move away, the ones that were alive, since the plane had now come to a stop after colliding with the trees. From 100 metres away, they saw someone point in their direction. The crew was probably telling everyone to stand behind the large rock, so that they would be shielded from the snowstorm. Slowly, the passengers and crew drew closer.  
  
When one of the crewmembers saw Kai and Sarah, they ran over to check their condition. Sarah knew Kai's condition couldn't be good. Snow that had collected on him was now beginning to freeze, she saw pain in his face, slight wounds on both their arms, and she could feel that he had stopped shivering.  
  
When the crewmember reached them, he knelt down beside them and protected them from the battering snow. "Are you two alright? What are you doing all the way back here?"  
  
Since Kai was too frozen to even utter a reply, Sarah explained, though after a long hesitation. "... Yes, we're fine...I'm very sorry, but.we were stowaways on your plane..We were in the cargo hold and jumped out just before the explosion."  
  
"Stowaways?" the man asked in surprise. "Goodness! You two couldn't be more than seven years old!"  
  
Sarah nodded as the crewmember chuckled. "You're pretty clever, for your age, so I'll forgive you this time, but do it again and I won't be so full of pity. Anyway, let's get behind that rock like everyone else, okay?"  
  
He led them over and gave Kai a warm jacket as the pilot radioed for another plane to come to their the survivors' rescue.  
  
December 28,1998  
  
Okay, before I start, I'm just doing a brief synopsis on what happened from the plane crash on December 4, 1997 to December 28, 1998. If I went into detail, Fanfiction would probably disable my account, and tell me to take my story to Nelvana Studios or write a novel. Besides, all I really have to say is that the plane picked them up, took them safely to Japan, then Kai and Sarah met these four boys and became friends with them. Sarah stayed with Kai at the mansion belonging to his grandfather, since she had no Japanese relatives. Along with their four friends, they formed the Blade Sharks, Kai being the leader, with many objections from Sarah. They had fun blading against each other and other teams until the day came when one left, changing the attitude of the Blade Sharks forever.  
  
The dying sun's rays glinted on their faces; Phillip's, Carlos', Trevor's, Ricky's, Kai's, and Sarah's. Sarah stood facing the other five Blade Sharks, a solemn look on her face. Both ribbons gone from her hair (the other one had blown away in the storm), she would have nothing to leave behind this time.  
  
"You're going to Canada, right?" asked Phillip, his shoulder-length blue hair blowing gently in the breeze.  
  
Sarah gave a small smile as she nodded. "That's correct. I really wish I could stay, but I feel that my father is probably worried about me. I'll miss you." She turned around, took a few steps, then stopped. "Kai, there's something you want to tell me, isn't there?"  
  
Kai, who had remained nonchalant up to now, was suddenly shocked. 'How did she know?' It was like she could read his mind. "Umm.yeah." He reached in to his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "Here."  
  
Sarah stepped closer and took the neatly folded the neatly folded paper from his outstretched hand. "Don't read it now," Kai informed. 'Please don't hug me.not in front of the Blade Sharks.' he pleaded to himself.  
  
As she felt and looked oddly at the paper, she felt something inside of it. She placed it carefully in her pocket and looked back up at Kai with an overjoyed smile. Kai held his breath and grew tense. 'Save me my dignity.'  
  
"I guess I'd better be going. The plane isn't going to wait." Without another word, Sarah turned and left. Kai exhaled and loosened up. He suddenly felt regret. Maybe a good-bye hug wouldn't have been so bad, after all.  
  
They've all broken up, but remember the whole idea of this story. What will bring them back together? 


	5. Genesis Of Deceit

Four chapters and still only two reviews.-_-'.As Tala would say, "IMPOSSIBLE!" I was thinking, and I thought maybe that this story is romance, too. I'd change action/adventure to romance if I COULD FIND THE COMMAND!  
  
5.Genesis Of Deceit  
  
May 18,2003 (Tyson's 13th Birthday)  
  
"And the winner of the match is Tyson!" yelled A.J. Topper over the roar of the crowd. Tyson looked up into the light that was shining down on him. He was the victor over Kai, the former World-Champion!  
  
"I'd better go down to tell them of the news," Mr. Dickenson said as he gazed down at Kai and Tyson from his special viewing balcony.  
  
"Break it to 'em lightly," a voice from behind him added.  
  
Mr. Dickenson turned to see a girl sitting in one of the balcony seats. She had had her head down, but now looked up at him. She stood up and gaited to the edge of the balcony where he stood. She was almost as tall as he was (which was not really a big accomplishment) as she regarded Kai and Tyson with surreptitious eyes.  
  
"Hmm, they'll make a good team in terms of entertainment, no doubt about that, but will they be a winning blading team, is my question."  
  
Mr. Dickenson glared at her sceptical attitude. "I can assure you that they'll do a formidable job."  
  
"On their own or with the help from my team?"  
  
"On their own, of course. Besides, you trust Kai to train them up to standard, don't you? You trusted him before."  
  
The girl fixed her gaze on the stunned Kai. "I suppose so.But it's been so long. How do I know he hasn't changed drastically?"  
  
Mr. Dickenson stepped towards the balcony stairs. "If you believe he hasn't changed, then he truly hasn't." He turned away from her and began his descent to the lower stadium.  
  
"Remember, Mr. Dickenson, my team and I will only help as long as they're worthy of it!" she called after him.  
  
The girl stepped outside of the stadium and scampered to the side of it, where she was to meet her friends. They were there, just as planned, but quarrelling like crazy. Two of them, anyway.  
  
"I still say I should have been the leader! After all, it was me who won the leadership award at school! And the Academic Award."  
  
"So? If you won the Academic Award, then why are you using improper grammar, thing?"  
  
"Improper grammar?"  
  
"Yes! You said it was me who won when it should be it was I who won!"  
  
The girl walked up to the four and watched as one of the boys and the other girl duked it out. She stood beside the other boy with folded arms and a nonchalant smile on her face.  
  
The boy glanced sideways at her. "Hey. So what did Mr. Dickenson say?"  
  
She continued to regard the other two. "He said that they're going to the Asian Tournament, which is being held in Beijing, China."  
  
"What's the name of the threat team?" the boy asked. He had dark blue eyes and jet-black hair. He wore a pair of gold-framed eyeglasses, a black hooded sweatshirt that had a white hood, white patch pocket in front, and white under the bottom of the arms. He had a blue belt with a yellow crescent moon; their team symbolic item. He also had dark blue jeans with black, bright green and grey running shoes.  
  
The girl glanced back down at him, for he was only up to the bottom of her eyes; the shortest one on the team. "Threat, thy name is White Tigers. Their Bit Beast connection is unknown, unless you can find a link between a lion, a lynx, a grizzly bear, and a monkey." She explained as she began to tug at her long brown hair. Her eyes, now brownish green, often changed colour depending on how the light caught them. She had her hair tied with blue ribbons in the style of buns with hair trailing down from them (like that of Sailor Moon's) that went down to her shoulders. She wore a necklace of a yellow star on a black cord; a gift she had received from someone in her childhood. She had a black and white vest; white at the top, black from just above her waist down to her knees. Under that, she wore a yellow T- shirt. At her waist, she had a purple belt with a yellow moon, similar to her friends' belt. She wore purple gloves that reached to her elbows and white bell-bottom pants with red designs along either side. Pale yellow boots with a white band across them completed her ensemble.  
  
The other two had now stopped fighting as the boy turned his attention to the brown-haired girl, the team's leader and the tallest of the four. "What are their names?" he asked. He had blackish bluish hair and brown eyes. He, like the other boy, had glasses, in fact, the two were very much alike in physical appearance such as they both had spiky hair, yet they had their differences. This boy's glasses had a black frame, and unlike the other boy who had a yellowish skin colour, he had tanned skin. This boy wore two T-shirts, a black one underneath an orangy-yellow one. He had a crimson red moon belt and matching red, fingerless gloves. He wore ultramarine blue nylon pants with yellow stripes down both sides with navy, ultramarine, and neon blue running shoes.  
  
The brown- haired girl unfolded her arms. "Gary Wu, Kevin Mao, Mariah Zhuqiao, and Lee Chang, their leader." She turned to the other girl and simpered connivingly. "It's Ray's former team. He's now a member of this new team. You know them, don't you?"  
  
The other girl nodded. "Of course I know them, but I don't know if they know me." Her dark brown eyes reflected unpleasant memories. She had very dark brown hair, practically black, with a streak of dark red here and there. Her long hair was tied back low on her head in a yellow elastic. She wore a bright green trench coat with white straps at the opening. Under her trench coat, she wore a black turtleneck, while on top of the jacket, she wore a dark green moon belt. She had white bell-bottom pants and bluish- green running shoes. She was as tall as the boy she had been fighting with; up to her leader's forehead.  
  
"Hah! Look at that expression. It shows she misses Ray!" the brown-eyed boy exclaimed.  
  
The brown-eyed girl looked up and straight at him. Her angered eyes stood out against her tanned skin as she scowled violently at him. "Be quiet! Maybe you're only jealous! Maybe you want to be leader only because you want to be like Sarah! You want to impress her, Philemon!"  
  
The green-eyed girl took offence to that. "Now, now, Eva, just leave me out of this."  
  
"I know! This fight's between you and me!" Philemon cried.  
  
"Why are you defending her, then?" the other boy asked.  
  
"Why are you helping Eva in a fight all of a sudden, Elvin?" Philemon countered.  
  
Sarah stepped in. "You know, maybe instead of fighting amongst ourselves, we could save our wrath and energy for opposing teams, Celestial Myriad?"  
  
"Sarah's right," Eva began, " we should concentrate on our plans to deceive this new team and the White Tigers."  
  
Sarah nodded. "Thank you, Eva. Now, I have everything planned out for the new team, but we should start our plans for the White Tigers. I assume you'll be my partner for them, Eva?"  
  
Eva smiled gingerly and concurred.  
  
Sarah began to step away from the two boys along with Eva. "What are we going to do?" questioned Elvin.  
  
"Research the next tournament after the Asian, then get outfits and identities ready according to the patterns we came up with," Sarah called back to them as she ran after Eva.  
  
"Wow! I can't believe we're actually in China!" exclaimed Tyson as he stepped off the plane and into the terminal.  
  
Kenny began to blurt out facts that he knew about the country, such as it has the highest human population and is 4th largest in landmass, etc., but no one was really listening.  
  
Little did they know that someone had been waiting their arrival. A girl leaned against a wall not too far away from them. She was pretending occupy herself by reading a magazine. She kept looking up every so often to see that the Bladebreakers were still hanging around. She was waiting to catch their attention.  
  
As she lowered her head for the seventh time, she heard Tyson say something concerning her. "Hey, guys, is it just me or are we being watched?"  
  
"It's probably just you, Tyson. You ate quite a lot of airline food," said Max with doubt in his voice.  
  
Kai glanced around the terminal. "I actually have to agree with him this time, Max. I sense eyes, too."  
  
Kai's eyes stopped on the girl, who was trying to act innocent at this point. "Who are you and why are you watching us?" he called to her from five metres away.  
  
The girl looked up at Kai. Nope, his personality hadn't changed one bit. "I'm someone and I'm not watching you.you only think I'm watching you."  
  
Tyson jumped in front of Kai. He knew how to squeeze the answers out of her. "Hey, quit the games! Is it really that hard to tell us your name and what you want with us?"  
  
The girl, who was actually Sarah moved away from her leaning position against the wall and closed the magazine. "Yes, it is, Tyson."  
  
Tyson withdrew backwards, almost bumping in to Kai. 'How does she know my name?'  
  
Sarah simpered as she glowered at the Bladebreakers. "Fine, then. You really want to know my name, Bladebreakers? Well, it's Kochab."  
  
"Okay, then, Kochab.perhaps you could answer our other question, if you would be so kind?" asked Kenny politely.  
  
Kochab shrugged. "Certainly. My answer is the same as before."  
  
"But we know for sure that you were watching us. And what kind of a name is Kochab?!" Tyson blurted.  
  
Kochab didn't reply, just continued to glare at them. Kai felt something familiar about her, though he couldn't put his finger on it. He surveyed her up and down. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail high on her head, and the hair shot out in all directions from the light blue band. She had a black dress that went halfway down her thighs and a red bolero jacket. She wore loose, white leggings that were held up by blue bands that matched the one in her hair. Underneath that, she had black boots, though you could only see the bottom of them since the stockings covered them.  
  
After a long pause, Kochab decided to change the subject. "I'd heard of you Bladebreakers and was wondering if I could travel with you guys."  
  
"We're not anything special. Why would you want to travel with us?" questioned Max.  
  
Ray turned to Kai as everyone else did, too. "Well, Kai.You're team leader. What you say goes."  
  
Kai hesitated a moment, considering his answer. He felt suspicious of this stranger who knew too much about them, already. What if she was a spy for another team? Though, he couldn't help himself. "Okay, sure."  
  
Kochab bowed before him as a sign of respect. "Thank you, Kai."  
  
Okay, sorry about the big, fat, long descriptions, but do you want to know what the characters look like, or not? Will the Celestial Myriad's plans to help the Bladebreakers succeed? Will the other teams be as easy to fool? How many chapters will this story take?! Find out soon when The Hilanov Prophecy continues. 


	6. The Tournaments

Now you'll have to pay close attention to all that's going on in this chapter because things move quite fast. I'll do a brief explanation of what happened to the Bladebreakers in the (Canadian) TV series, and then I'll continue with my modifications of the plot. I'm going to cover the Asian, American, and European tournaments, but to you Demolition Boys fans, don't worry. There's a lot happening at the Russian tournament, much too big to squeeze in this chapter.  
  
6. The Tournaments  
  
Showdown in Hong Kong  
  
Kai had just disappeared from the Bladebreakers, and now the others are looking for him in the Chinese town's streets. Kochab had left at the same time he had, though they went separate ways. Kevin and Bruce of the White Tigers then confronted the Bladebreakers in a back alley. Kai came to their rescue and the other White Tigers came to reveal themselves. The Bladebreakers were left to stare in shock as the White Tigers left them, and that was when they were confronted.  
  
"Who are you and what do you want?" Lee demanded.  
  
"I say we just ignore them, Lee," informed Mariah as she stepped out from behind him to look at the two girls standing in front of them.  
  
"Why ignore us when we are a vital link to your victories?" asked the brown-haired girl.  
  
Lee folded his arms and scowled at them. "Since when did you help us to win?"  
  
"Since now. You'll need help against the Bladebreaker team," the dark brown haired girl added.  
  
"The Bladebreakers? We beat them easily in the alley back there," countered Mariah.  
  
Sarah glared at them. "I'm Luyten, and this is my friend, Wirtanen, and you'll need our help for the tournament," she said, lying through her teeth once again. Her brown hair was in a bun in the middle of her head tied with a pink ribbon. She had a uniform of navy blue Chinese styled shirt with red lining, navy blue pantaloons and yellow-soled red Chinese slippers.  
  
Wirtanen placed her hands akimbo. "The Bladebreakers are a strong team, and we want to help you. " Her long brownish black hair was in a braid low on her head that ended at her upper back. She had a gold elastic at either end of it. She wore a white vest that had a purple lining around the neck, down the middle, and on the sleeves. Underneath that, she wore a magenta shirt that reached down to her mid-forearm, with purple ribbons tied to her wrists. To match those two ribbons, she had another two ribbons that railed from the magenta sash at her waist, both with a magenta cloth flower at the end. Like Luyten, she also had purple pantaloons and white socks with purple Chinese slippers.  
  
"I say we give them a chance. They could be helpful," Gary said with sarcastic doubt in his tone.  
  
"We knew you'd see it our way," Luyten and Wirtanen chanted at the same time.  
  
A Score To Settle  
  
Wirtanen and Luyten had followed the White Tigers around throughout the tournament, Wirtanen more than Luyten, because Luyten's alter-ego duty as Kochab called from the Bladebreakers. The two transferred information between the two teams. At the actual tournament, the two sat in the audience to watch the outcome of the battle along with their other two team members. They were happy to see that the Bladebreakers had won- they were fulfilling their mission they had set out to do.  
  
After the match, the Celestial Myriad gathered in the administration hall of the stadium building.  
  
Elvin made his report," The American Tournament is next on the Bladebreakers' schedule. The threat teams' name is the All Starz, their names being Michael West, Steven Vidor, Eddy Swanson, and Emily Williams. Their Bit Beast connection lies between animal species native to the U.S.A.; an alligator, a bull, a scorpion, and an eagle- America's national symbol, of course."  
  
"And I discovered the link between the White Tigers' Bit Beasts- the link you couldn't find," taunted Philemon.  
  
Sarah scowled at him. "Okay then, mister, what is it?"  
  
"They're all mammals!" He replied with a big grin.  
  
Everyone sighed. "Yeah.whatever." Eva answered with a shake of her head.  
  
"Oh! And they like sports," added Elvin. "Therefore, I'll be Alkaid, professional hockey and soccer player," he explained while making a heroic pose.  
  
Sarah perked up. "I'm not a big fan of sports, but I'll be- "  
  
Elvin cut her off. "Uhh.actually, I already chose your identity for you.You see, I didn't think you'd have time after the Asian Tournament because the Bladebreakers were going straight to the American."  
  
Sarah looked at him in confusion. "O-kay, then.But really, the Bladebreakers are stopping over in Japan, first. I spoke to them about it. I should probably stay with them, but Elvin, or should I say, Alkaid, you go to the US and familiarize with the All Starz. I shall be with you in a couple of days. "  
  
"And we.?" Eva vociferated, making the presence of Philemon and her known.  
  
"Help him. Though remember, the American Tournament's his."  
  
"What about the European Tournament?" questioned Philemon.  
  
"That too. Say, does anyone have my Kochab clothes? They weren't in my bag when I last checked."  
  
Eva and Elvin glanced at Philemon. Philemon withdrew. "Wh-why's everyone looking at me?"  
  
Eva folded her arms. "Because you were in charge of our bags."  
  
"Th-that doesn't mean anything."  
  
It's All Relative  
  
While the Bladebreakers were busying themselves by exploring the All Starz' test facilities, Elvin had introduced Sarah to the All Starz, since she hadn't been there for the first encounter.  
  
"This is my friend Miranda, skater and swimmer extraordinaire," he said, motioning to her.  
  
Miranda smiled gingerly. "Oh, stop it, Alkaid. You're making me blush!"  
  
Michael surveyed her with cocky eyes. "Hmph! I'll bet you that she's all that good compared to you, Alkaid."  
  
"Be nice, Michael." Emily scolded.  
  
"Yeah! I take offence to that! I wager I could beat you in a contest any day, any time!" Miranda countered.  
  
Eddy began to spin his basketball on his finger. "I say you challenge her, Mike. If that's what she really wants. Prove to her your point."  
  
"Steve! Eddy! Intruders on level five," came Judy's voice over the walkie-talkie. "And Emily I need your help on level five, too."  
  
Steve glanced at the intercom and then back at Michael, Alkaid and Miranda. "We've got to go, so if you guys are going to compete, wait for us to get back. I've got to see the entertainment of Michael's loss to a girl!"  
  
"Who says that's going to happen?" growled Michael as the other three ran away. He glanced at Miranda, determination and confidence showing from the pigtails tied by pink glass balls high on her head to the red turtleneck to the white bolero with red wrist bands to the blue belt to the white knee-high sarong and green and black boots. "What are you looking at?"  
  
Miranda just continued to smile nonchalantly as Alkaid looked away, laughing. Alkaid had his same gold rimmed glasses, but different white turtleneck, blue and white hockey jersey, turquoise soccer shorts, white knee-highs and cleats.  
  
Practice Makes Perfect  
  
Kochab followed the Bladebreakers to the mountain retreat with Antonio. That's all.  
  
Bottom of the Ninth  
  
The same as before, the Celestial Myriad sat in the audience and watched as the Bladebreakers won yet another tournament. As soon as the dust had cleared and Max's blade was left spinning, Philemon uttered one word: "Europe."  
  
Without turning her head to look beside her, Sarah replied, "That's right. I can assure you this team will be harder. I don't think they're going to submit to the Celestial Myriad that easily."  
  
"Yeah. After the research that Philemon and I did, we found out that Europe doesn't exactly have a threat team- they have a set of four individuals who are threats." Eva explained with a nod.  
  
"And these four don't know each other presumably?" questioned Elvin.  
  
Philemon leaned forward slightly and unfolded his arms. "Wrong. They know each other, all right. They're practically the best of friends, though they live in different countries. They just have yet to form a team."  
  
"That's going to be hard for you two, then. If the threats are all spread out, then how are you going to get to them all in time before the tournament?" Elvin said with a smile that displayed the humour of their misfortune.  
  
Sarah put her arm around Philemon's shoulders. "Don't you worry, Elvin. Phil and I will find out some way or another. That tournament is good as the Bladebreakers'! Besides we need to put that 'Academic Award' brain of yours into gear, kid."  
  
Philemon scowled at her. "Don't call me kid, nerd."  
  
Play It Again Dizzi!  
  
While Kenny was busy reminiscing all that the Bladebreakers had gone through and configuring the new training regimen in a secluded bar, the Celestial Myriad was doing a little configuration among themselves.  
  
Sarah analyzed the notes that Philemon and Eva had made of the European threats. "Hmm.So their names are Oliver Sartre, Enrique Puccini, Johnny McGreggor, and Robert Jergins is their leader. Oliver's French, Enrique's Italian, Johnny's Scottish, and Robert's Norwegian?"  
  
Eva nodded and leaned forward across the table to point out something else on the paper. "Yes, that's right. We found that their Bit Beast connection is between legendary l creatures. See? Oliver's Bit Beast, Unicolyon, is a unicorn. Enrique's Bit Beast, Amphilyon, is a hydra, Johnny's Bit Beast, Salamulyon, is a salamander, and Robert's Bit Beast, Griffolyon, is a griffin."  
  
Sarah leaned back in her chair like a well-pampered cat. "Intriguing."  
  
"I thought there was another threat team, wasn't there?" asked Elvin as he searched through the pile of papers.  
  
Philemon pulled out a paper from under the pile in front of him. "Um- hm. These guys are an actual team, though they're no real threat to the Bladebreakers."  
  
"Who are they, though? Just in case."  
  
"Since when were you cautious, Elvin?" grilled Sarah.  
  
"Since now, I guess.Why? Is there something wrong with that, Miss Perfect?"  
  
She glared at him suspiciously and shook her head. "No."  
  
"Anyway, as I was about to answer," Philemon interrupted as he leered sarcastically at Sarah. "Their names are Sanguanex, Lupinex, Cenotaph, and Zom. It would seem they have no last names, nor a true identity. From what I could find, they're 'monsters', though they prefer the term 'humanly challenged.'"  
  
"Like you, Philemon?" Eva quipped.  
  
Philemon narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't say anything.  
  
"How exactly are they 'humanly challenged'?" Asked Elvin as he slouched back in his chair.  
  
Eva sat up to explain. "Sanguanex is a vampire, Lupinex is a werewolf, Cenotaph's a mummy, and Zom is a zombie."  
  
"And their Bit Beasts reflect what they are," Philemon added.  
  
Sarah glanced at him quizzically. "How are they not a threat team?"  
  
"The Majestics defeated them- they're pushovers," clarified Eva.  
  
"They're just out to try to steal Bit Beasts and wreak havoc," Philemon concluded.  
  
Sarah gave him a look that showed she only understood half of what he was saying. "I see."  
  
A Knight To Remember  
  
Sarah and Philemon, rather Rosalind and Mathilde, were with Robert and the other Majestics in Robert's castle. The six had already met each other (as you can see I've skipped quite a bit of episodes), and were just playing a friendly game of chess while thinking about the tournament.  
  
"So how are you going to deal with the Bladebreakers at the tournament?" asked Rosalind.  
  
Enrique, who was leaning against the wall answered. "You have no need to worry, Rosalind. A pretty face like you should have faith in the Majestics."  
  
Mathilde struggled to keep from laughing. "Pretty?"  
  
Rosalind turned and scowled at him. "Well, I don't hear anyone saying you're handsome!"  
  
Johnny had just made a checkmate on Robert and leaned back in his chair with a confident attitude. "She's got a point there, Mathilde."  
  
Mathilde glared at Johnny. "Oh yeah? Then why aren't you helping me?"  
  
"I don't root for the underdog."  
  
Rosalind simpered with glee and giggled a little to herself. "Wow, Mathilde. Am I actually winning this argument?" She fiddled with her hair, tied back in a ponytail with a red band that was near the bottom of it (see Excel from Excel Saga or Lin from Spirited Away). She had her yellow T- shirt on, her white pants with red designs, her pale yellow boots, and a black sweater that went down to her knees.  
  
Mathilde folded his arms. He wore a white sleeveless shirt, maroon vest, blue, baggy pants, black boots, and blue wristbands. "I hate to admit it, but I think you are. Only this one time, though. Never again!"  
  
"Oh I have a feeling she'll be winning a lot more arguments with you," vociferated Oliver.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Robert looked up from his match with Johnny and straight at Mathilde. "We'll help her come up with counters. Women should be equal to men. It's only the chivalry of a real knight. You could stand to take a lesson in nobility."  
  
A Majestic Battle. A Majestic Victory?  
  
As you can guess, the Celestial Myriad was there as before to watch the European and final juvenile win of the Bladebreakers.  
  
"Playtime's over. The Russian tournament will be no where near as forgiving,' Sarah said solemnly.  
  
Eva stood up from her seat. "Yeah. Even hacking in to the All Starz' databases revealed next to nothing about the Russian threat team."  
  
"Since when were you hacking in to the All Starz' databases?!" Sarah cried frantically.  
  
Elvin looked at the floor in shame. "Since we found out they had one.It's just makes our job a whole lot easier.Besides, you're the one who says 'Find information with any resource possible.'"  
  
"I guess so. Well then, what did you find?"  
  
Eva, who had really had no reason to stand up in the first place, sat back down again. "Their names are the Demolition Boys. Their Bit Beasts are unknown, so we weren't able to make any connections. We've heard that they aren't mainly Beyblading for the BBA's sake, but more for that of another company."  
  
"An unknown one," appended Elvin.  
  
"We're basically kept in the dark, aren't we?" Philemon questioned rhetorically.  
  
Sarah stared at the floor, pondering what to do. "I guess I can't really help the Bladebreakers then, can I? And if the Demolition Boys are unwilling to reveal information, then why should we?"  
  
"You're doppelganging this tournament, right?" queried Elvin.  
  
Sarah glimpsed at his dark blue eyes. 'Something about blue eyes . The Russian tournament . They have some sort of linkage . though I can't think of what .' "Yes. You can't even tell me their names, Eva?"  
  
"Oh. I can tell you that. Spencer, Ian, Bryan, and Tala, the leader, though their last names were lost in the BBA databases. It would seem that the company erased all of their personal records."  
  
'Of course! Those names rang a bell! Blue eyes- Tala had blue eyes!' Sarah didn't reply, though she had her eyes wide open, as if in fear and shock. The three ogled the strange appearance.  
  
"Sa-rah?" Philemon called queerly.  
  
"Huh? Sorry ." 'Could it really be them? After all these years? It had been Kai, could it be Tala? Had the four changed? What about Boris? Was her uncle still alive?'  
  
"Celestial Myriad . I suddenly know a whole lot more about the Russian Tournament!"  
  
Oohhh! Interesting. What'll happen next? Will Sarah fully reveal her presence to the Demolition Boys, or will she deceive the m like she did the other teams? What will her reunion with Tala be like? Will he recognize her? Will the other three? Does Tala still have Sarah's ribbon? Will the actual The Hilanov Prophecy story get going? Find out soon! 


	7. Celestial Myriad, Unmasked

Sorry for the hold-up last week. I was just too busy with other things and didn't have a chance to upload the chapters.This chapter's all about my reconfiguration of the Russian tournament.  
  
7. Celestial Myriad, Unmasked  
  
Hot Battle In A Cold Town  
  
Kochab was with the Bladebreakers as they were trying to find Boris Abbey. When they finally got there, they saw all of the trainees in the courtyard, Beyblading. Like Kai, she watched in silence as Tyson defeated Alexander, the trainee chosen by Boris to face the outsider. Then Kochab and the Bladebreakers watched in horror as the young Alexander was dragged away by two tall men in long robe uniforms. Boris had supposedly not recognized her, and so she decided to proceed with the Celestial Myriad's plan as they left the Abbey.  
  
Out Of The Past  
  
While Kai had left the Bladebreakers (again), the Bladebreakers had done a little bit of sightseeing around Moscow. Sarah, rather Kochab, had stayed at the hotel to think about how she would approach the Demolition Boys. Unlike before, where her friends had known the threat team, it was now her turn. How easy would she be to recognize? Kai didn't know it was her, or did he? Could he just be pretending? Tala had always been good at noticing similarities; she'd have to disguise herself well.  
  
This truly was a puzzling tournament. As she picked through her garments, she pondered how to get past all those guards she had seen at the Abbey. And where had Kai gone? He hadn't told a single soul, just left spontaneously.  
  
Drawn To Darkness  
  
The Bladebreakers (save Kai) had decided to go looking for Kai, since he had been gone for so long. The Abbey seemed to be the perfect place to start. Kochab, who was now ready for anything the tournament could throw at her, was obliged to help them look, but was still slightly busy. "You guys go on without me. I'll see you at the Abbey."  
  
"Oh. Okay." Tyson said as he grabbed his BBA jacket and closed the hotel room door behind him.  
  
She watched as the door slammed shut and then scurried over to her bag. She pulled out six clothing articles; a red vest, a black and white striped shirt with low neckline and elbow-length sleeves, her white sarong, purple moon belt, black tights, and green and black knee-high boots. She also pulled out two white elastics. She undid her Kochab hairstyle and parted her hair down the middle. She made one pigtail low and at the back of her head, tying it with the white elastic. She did the same with her remaining hair. She leapt up and ran over to the mirror. "Good enough.It's been six years."  
  
She redid her Kochab hairstyle and stuffed the disguise in a small fanny pack. She snatched the ultramarine blue jacket with a star and moon on the back that members of the Celestial Myriad wore and hurried out the door with the fanny pack and after the Bladebreakers.  
  
Kochab arrived to see the Bladebreakers at the front gates, sneaking around. She slinked over to the bushes and sat beside them. "I've come. What happened?"  
  
Ray glanced up at her. "Nothing much. We're just trying not to be caught."  
  
"Oww! Hey Tyson, what are you doing?" Max whispered frantically.  
  
"Sorry! My foot fell asleep and I was just- what the?" Tyson asked in confusion as an alarm sounded.  
  
"An Abbey with a high-tech security system? This just doesn't fit." Kenny concluded.  
  
Max grabbed him and leapt up. "Who cares about that now? Just run!"  
  
Tyson, Kochab, Kenny, and Ray followed Max towards the Abbey's main doors. But then someone barred their way; two boys, who had jumped from the roof of the Abbey. One of them was tall, taller than any of the Bladebreakers (that were there) and Kochab. The other one was shorter than all of them; about up to Kochab's shoulder. The taller one had bright red hair and sky blue eyes while the shorter one had purply-blue hair and brown eyes.  
  
Kochab gasped slightly, yet quietly so that no one but her heard. 'It was them! Tala and Ian! But where were Bryan and Spencer?'  
  
"Let us through! We're looking for our friend, Kai!" demanded Tyson.  
  
"There's no Kai here, but we'll let you though if you can defeat us in a Beybattle," challenged the shorter boy.  
  
Tyson pulled out his blade and shooter. "Fine, then. Challenge accepted."  
  
With that, the two began to battle. Everyone else watched intently. Kochab kept glancing up at Tala, who seemed to pay no interest towards her at all. Good. 'I wouldn't want him to memorize me. Not yet.'  
  
After a minute or so, the red-haired boy suddenly shifted and held his ear. "Affirmative, boss." He turned to Ian. "Finish it."  
  
The blue-haired boy called back his blade.  
  
Tyson called back his and yelled at him, "Hey, why'd you call back your blade?"  
  
Tala glanced solemnly up at the Bladebreakers. "This boy, Kai was it? That you were looking for.Is he a friend of yours?"  
  
"Yeah.How'd you know?" queried Tyson in a puzzled tone.  
  
"Well, he's in the Abbey, but he was out in the cold a lii-ttle too long. He has a fever."  
  
Kochab gasped again. "He does?! Will he be okay?"  
  
Tala shifted his gaze towards her for a moment and then back to the Bladebreakers. "Let our doctors treat him. We'll tell you when he gets better."  
  
"How will we know who to look for?" asked Kenny.  
  
"My name's Tala."  
  
"And I'm Ian," the blue-haired boy added.  
  
Tyson gestured to himself and the rest of the team. "I'm Tyson, and this is Max, Ray, Kenny, and Kochab. Just be sure you do tell us."  
  
Tala lifted his head slightly. "Yes. Of course." He gazed at Kochab again, who was still in shock from discovering Kai's fever.  
  
The Bladebreakers turned to leave, while Kochab didn't budge.  
  
"Make sure your doctors take good care of him, Tala!" Kochab cried.  
  
Tyson walked up to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Come on, Kochab. Let's go. Tala will tell us when Kai's better. Why are you so worried about Kai, anyway?"  
  
Tyson began to drag her away, but she was still reluctant to leave. "Make sure you don't feed him anything much until he's better!"  
  
Kochab began to turn but then whipped back around. "And make sure he drinks lots of fluids!"  
  
She turned again, growing closer to the gate, Tyson still trying to pry her away. She leapt out of Tyson's grasp and almost ran back, but Tyson seized her arm once more. "Remember, it's starve a cold, feed a fever!"  
  
Tyson exited with her, "Come on, Kochab!" But just before the gate slammed shut, she yelled back one more thing:  
  
"How do you get a fever from being in the cold too long?!"  
  
The Bladebreakers had closed the gate and were now beginning to walk away, thinking Kai was in safe hands, but Kochab didn't move from her position in front of the gate.  
  
"Aren't you coming, Kochab?" called Max.  
  
Kochab turned her head towards them and then back to the gate. "Yeah.I'll be with you a little later."  
  
Ray cocked his head to one side. "Sure. We'll be at the hotel."  
  
They began to walk away. Kochab waited until they were gone from view before she slipped back inside the gate.  
  
Tala and Ian went back inside the Abbey as Tala took off the earpiece. "I don't know what it was about Tyson and that girl, but it reminded me of an incident long ago that also involved you and I."  
  
Ian looked up at him as they walked briskly down the hall. "You mean when Kai and Sarah left the Abbey? When we were seven years old?"  
  
Tala stopped and glanced at Ian. "Now that you mention it, yeah." He began to walk again. "That girl 'Kochab' did look kind of like Sarah. Kai's here, I know that, but I wonder how Sarah's doing, and if she's still alive."  
  
"With all those prayers you made, it would be hard for her not to be."  
  
"I was concerned, that's all."  
  
"That girl was pretty sharp. Did you make that excuse up, or did Boris?"  
  
"I did. He said be spontaneous. Only Sarah could tell when I was lying. No one else I knew could do that."  
"Uh-huh. Sure. Maybe it was her. Say, do you still have her ribbon?"  
  
Tala pushed back the sleeve of his blue shirt to reveal a red ribbon tied to his wrist.  
  
Ian suppressed a laugh. "Yeah, well we should get back to class. Sister Lutka isn't going to wait."  
  
Tala rolled his sleeve back down. "If you're only going to chastise everything I say and do, then why do I even bother doing anything at all?"  
  
"Because your obsession forbids you to do so." Ian paused a moment, waiting for the insult to seep in. When Tala finally realized, Ian tore down the hall towards their classes and away from Tala's wrathful pursuit.  
  
"Today we have a new trainee that will be joining our Abbey life. I can only hope that you boys will treat her fairly and as an equal. We want to make her feel welcome," Tala and Ian heard as they entered the classroom.  
  
Everyone in the class looked up as the two stood in the doorway, panting heavily, trying to understand what was going on.  
  
A lady standing at the chalkboard opened her mouth to speak. "Ah.Tala and Ian. You've come back. What did Boris want?" She had on a long navy blue robe with a maroon petticoat on top. She also had a navy and white headdress. Her dark blue eyes reflected nonchalance.  
  
To the lady side stood a girl, about up to her eyes. The girl had long brown hair tied in pigtails by white elastics. Her eyes were greenish- blue. She had on a red vest, black and white striped shirt, white sarong and purple belt with a yellow moon that hung loosely from her right hip. Underneath the skirt, she wore black tights; probably to protect her from the chilly Russian weather, and green and black knee-high boots.  
  
Tala and Ian stared at her in confusion. It was like they were seeing Sarah clones everywhere. Could she possibly have twin sisters?  
  
"You're not going to answer, boys?" the lady vociferated.  
  
Ian looked up at her to answer, for Tala was preoccupied. "Uh.Boris wanted our help with some intruders."  
  
The lady nodded slowly. "I see.Well, as you can see, we have a new trainee joining us. Her name is Thalassa. As I was telling the other boys, you will treat her fairly and as an equal."  
  
Tala and Ian stood erect. "Yes, Sister Lutka." The two hustled to their seats and sat down.  
  
"Hmm.Let's see, we'll need a seat for you, Thalassa. Oh! I know! How about that vacant desk right beside Tala?"  
  
Tala shrunk down in to his seat. 'Great. I have to sit beside a girl? And she's new, so that means the Sister wants me to be her mentor.'  
  
"Thank you, Sister Lutka," Thalassa said as she hurried over to where Tala sat and flopped down in the desk to his left.  
  
A lot of the boys began to stare at her. They had never really had a chance to see many girls since they had begun training at the Abbey, and Thalassa was the only female trainee there. Quite a few also found her pretty.  
  
Losing Kai  
  
It was free time for the trainees of the Abbey. The Demolition Boys had decided to play a card game. Signal was their favourite. Spencer and Ian had teamed up, while Tala and Bryan were partners. Tala and Bryan were winning, when someone came in.  
  
The four turned to see Thalassa. None of them had talked to her much, except for Tala. They thought she was quiet and shy, which she seemed to be now.  
  
Tala scowled as he slouched in his chair. "Go away. I'm your mentor in class, not free time. Or do you need my help for that, too?" he quipped without turning his head.  
  
Bryan gave him an empathetic look. "She can't be that annoying, Tala."  
  
Tala glared at the cards in his hand. "You obviously don't know her, then."  
  
Spencer glanced at Tala and then back at Thalassa standing in the doorway. "Don't mind him. He's just grouchy. You can play, if you want."  
  
Tala sat bolt upright. "What? But signal is a game for an equal number of players!"  
  
"She could team up with you," Ian suggested.  
  
"Besides, if you're not going to be a good sport, we might as well kick you out of the game," added Bryan.  
  
"Fine, then! I won't play!" Tala exclaimed as he stood up and stormed over to where Thalassa stood. He stopped in front of her and leered at her. They were almost at eye level, if only Thalassa had been three centimetres taller. "I hope you're happy."  
  
Thalassa didn't answer.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"."  
  
"Answer me!"  
  
"I don't want to play." Thalassa replied softly.  
  
Tala loosened up and withdrew. ".Oh.okay.Well, I don't want to, either." He stood there a moment longer before going around her and down the corridor. Thalassa watched him disappear from view.  
  
Breaking The Ice  
  
The next day, Sarah was with the Bladebreakers (except Max) as Kochab again. She sat with them in the hotel room, discussing Kai's betrayal. After a little while, there was a knock on the door.  
  
Kenny got up from his seat. "This better not be room service, Tyson. Not after they kicked us out of the buffet," he sighed.  
  
"The purpose is that it's an 'All You Can Eat' buffet. I didn't have 'all I could eat'." Tyson replied.  
  
Kenny jumped as he opened the door to see a man in a black suit and sunglasses standing there. "You are to come with me, please," he ordered in a gruff voice.  
  
"Says who?" Kochab countered as she leapt up from the bed, ready to defend.  
  
"My orders come from the one you call Kai."  
  
The Bladebreakers and Kochab stared with dumbfounded looks.  
  
The next thing the Bladebreakers knew, they were in a helicopter, flying with some secret agent across Russia. Kenny recognized Lake Baikal right away. As always, he began to spew out facts.  
  
The helicopter landed on the ice and they saw Kai in a black jacket, awaiting their arrival. They all talked, rather argued, with each other, save Kochab, who just stood on the sidelines and watched (see the show for dialogue). Kai took on Tyson, Ray, and Kenny all at the same time, and defeated them all; one by one. Kochab once again just stood and watched.  
  
When all hope seemed lost, and Kai had won, Max leapt out of a plane and to the Bladebreakers' rescue. With Max's improved Beyblade and Tyson's use of the normal Dranzer, Kai was defeated.  
  
While Kai moped over the loss and the Bladebreakers watched with sympathy, unbeknownst to them all, the ice was cracking underneath them. Kochab was the first to notice. She heard a cracking noise and glanced downwards. She could see that chunks were breaking off behind Kai and lacerations spread across the once-thick ice.  
  
"Guys! The ice's breaking! Let's move it!" she screamed.  
  
The boys observed the ice. Tyson gasped. "Kai!"  
  
"Kai!" all of them shouted, for Kai was on an iceberg all on his own. Kai, who was still in shock, was reluctant to move.  
  
Kai wasn't paying any attention to a word they yelled. He was trapped in his own reverie, complaining to himself over what perfection meant; and how it was something he didn't have. The Bladebreakers were unwilling to give up, and Kai was unwilling of their help. He couldn't accept their help- not after he'd treated them so badly. The Bladebreakers didn't care anymore- especially Tyson- he just wanted to forgive and forget.  
  
Finally, Kai reached out, but moments too late- he'd become frozen with the water of the sinking iceberg already. The Bladebreakers pulled with all their strength to attempt to free him, but to no avail. Kochab wasn't trying, but standing on the sidelines like she had through the whole ordeal. But now, it had gone far enough. She had been unsure of whether to trust Kai or not, but now she knew his life was at stake- and like the Bladebreakers, thought that this was no time to argue.  
  
She could see that the Bladebreakers weren't making any progress. "Weaklings! Let me show you how it's done!" she cried as she hustled over to grab a hold of Kai's arm.  
  
She pulled along with the Bladebreakers, Kai trying to move his legs. It seemed that this would be Kai's final resting place when he suddenly was liberated. All six of them fell down and stared in wonder at the miraculous outcome of the situation.  
  
Kai was the first to recover and get up. He stood there for a moment and observed as Kochab slowly staggered to her feet. Then, the others stood up. Kai thanked them, and was about to leave when Kochab halted him.  
  
She held his black coat and glared at him, empathy in her eyes. She outstretched her arms. "Your jacket."  
  
Kai took it from her and looked at it the same way he had Sarah's eight years ago. "Uh.thank you..."  
  
With that, Kochab grinned a little at him and then walked away, muttering something about, "that's the second time."  
  
Tyson came up behind Kai. He began to snicker at Kai who was still had his gaze fixed on the retreating Kochab. "Oooh!" he swooned, and then burst in to song:  
  
"She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, She loves you and you know you should be"  
  
"Zip it, Tyson!" snapped Kai. He moved towards the helicopter.  
  
".mad." Tyson finished, modifying the phrase of the actual song to fit Kai.  
  
The helicopter then left once Kai had boarded, and only once it was out of sight did the Bladebreakers realize that their transportation had either flown or walked away.  
  
A Lesson For Tyson (a scene that didn't actually happen)  
  
Tala stepped out of Boris' office. 'That was it. I would have no more full control over myself if he did that to me. Not that I have anything to do with my life anymore, anyway.'  
  
He glanced up and jumped as he saw Thalassa, daunting as ever with that solemn look. "Don't scare me like that! What do you want?"  
  
Thalassa turned and sauntered down the hall in the direction of the dormitories without a word.  
  
Tala speculated her in confusion. "Where are you going, now? Why do you act so different in class from now? Why do you annoy me then, but not now?" He called as he ran after her.  
  
"Why? Do you want me to annoy you?"  
  
"No.Not really.it's just."  
  
"Then don't complain," she said as she opened the door to their dormitory.  
  
Tala was about to follow her inside when she whirled around. "Why are you following me?"  
  
Tala stepped backwards and in to the hall, not realizing what he had been doing. "Oh.sorry.But it's my dormitory, too."  
  
"Oh. So it is." Regarrdless, she closed the door on him. Tala continued to stand there, though, in amazement. A moment later, the door opened again. "Just joking! Anyway, what do you want?" Thalassa asked.  
  
Tala didn't respond.  
  
"Come in." she sighed.  
  
Tala obliged slowly and Thalassa closed the door behind him. "What do you want?" she repeated.  
  
"I was just wondering."  
  
"Yes?" presses Thalassa.  
  
Tala glanced anxiously at the door. 'Oh great.what was I going to say again?' "I was wondering, umm. Can I play with you hair?"  
  
'What? Why does he want to play with my hair?' "Okay then, I guess."  
  
Thalassa sat down in front of the mirror and Tala knelt down behind her. He reached out gingerly, for fear of embarrassment or hurting her, and pulled the white elastics from her pigtails. 'I must face my fears and see if it's her.' He took a brush from the table and ran it through her hair.  
  
It ran pretty smoothly, with few tangles. Long and brown, like Sarah's had been. Tala began to blush. "Say, have you heard of a girl named Sarah?"  
  
'He remembers me!' "No, I don't believe so."  
  
Tala's heart sank. "Oh."  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because I once knew this girl.named Sarah.and.she looked a lot like you," Tala replied, hesitant at first.  
  
'I'm going out on a limb with this next one, but.' "Did you like, like her?"  
  
Tala was now as red as his hair. "Kinda', sorta'."  
  
Thalassa now felt uncomfortable. 'I never knew he liked me.and I left the Abbey with Kai.How heartless could I possibly be? Oblivious of all the telltale signs he probably threw at me everyday?' She stared at the mirror with hurt sympathy. "So.what does that have to do with playing with my hair?"  
  
Tala had now stopped brushing and was now taking the hair at the sides of her head. "She always wore the same hairstyle. I wanted to see if you looked exactly the same." He made the two half-pigtails at the back of her head and slowly retied them with the white elastic. Then, he untied the red ribbon from his wrist.  
  
'Oh no.' Sarah thought. 'Once he sees that ribbon on me he'll recognize me. And that's my old red ribbon- one of the ones I lost on the way to Japan! How did he get it and why does he still have it?'  
  
Tala started to tie the ribbon around her pigtail, anxious to see the outcome. Sarah couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't risk blowing her cover. She leapt up, as Tala pulled away, ribbon in hand. "Um.I just remembered.I have to be somewhere right now, so I've gotta go. Bye, Tala!"  
  
With that, she ran out of the room and slammed the door behind her. "Th-that was.her!" he gasped.  
  
Victory In Defeat  
  
Sarah was now trying to avoid the Demolition Boys, since Tala knew what was going on and he had probably told the others. She hadn't told the Celestial Myriad of her slip-up, for fear of being terminated as their leader. They couldn't really care anymore now, anyway, since now was the moment of truth; the Russian Tournament.  
  
The Celestial Myriad sat in the audience in the same area they had for the previous matches where the White Tigers and All Starz had battled. They sat far away from any of the other teams, for fear of being recognized. They watched as Kai was defeated and Dranzer was taken away from him.  
  
Eva placed a consoling hand on Sarah's shoulder. "I'm sorry. Do you think he'll get his Bit Beast back?"  
  
"It's hard to say," Elvin answered for her. "I mean, it's too early in the tournament to tell, and as our research said, it all depends on who wins, though the Bladebreakers are the underdogs right now."  
  
"I'd hate to see what happens if the Demolition Boys win. They may actually be nice and all, as Sarah can confirm, but it won't really be them that wins, but Boris and Voltaire," mentioned Philemon.  
  
A Wicked Wind Blows  
  
"With the Bladebreakers and Demolition Boys both tied at one a piece, all we can make is inferences, here, since even Sarah can't unearth info on the Boys," said Elvin after Ray had defeated Bryan.  
  
"It's not my fault! The Demolition Boys know less about themselves than I do!" Sarah opposed.  
  
Elvin gave her a look that radiated compassion. "I'm not saying it is your fault, just that we're on thin ice here, with how little we know about the possible apocalyptic forces behind the Demolition Boys' win."  
  
"Am I the only one to notice that Eva's crying?" vociferated Philemon.  
  
Sarah and Elvin turned their attention to her. Sarah placed her hand on Eva's shoulder, the same way Eva had yesterday. "Ray'll be okay. Should we go visit him in the hospital?"  
  
"He doesn't remember me. What's the point? Besides, Mariah's there," she wept.  
  
"We wouldn't mind going," offered Philemon.  
  
Eva shook her head vigourously as she observed the men carrying Ray's stretcher leave the stadium.  
  
New And Cyber-Improved  
  
Thalassa knew she couldn't avoid the Demolition Boys for the whole tournament, so she went to the Abbey during the day before the final battle. She crept in through the main gate and began to search the Abbey for them. She travelled down a long corridor and came to a room where people were talking. It sounded like Boris and Voltaire.  
  
"Draining incubation fluid," she heard one of the scientists say.  
  
She peered around the corner to see a group of scientists, Boris, Voltaire, and.Tala! Tala was in a tube with wire attached to him and green liquid, which as the scientist had said, was now draining. The glass on the tube was lifted and green steam engulfed Tala, then cleared as he steeped off the platform and on to the stone floor. He stood there solemn as ever in blue undergarments and glared at Boris. Boris stepped over to him and handed him the Wolborg blade. "Tala, your new modifications have made you a cyborg. You shall win the Russian Tournament, Cyber-Tala!"  
  
Sarah stepped backwards in petrified fear. She stepped in to the room in the hall opposite to the one Tala and Boris were in. She leaned against the wall and stared ahead in shock. 'How could Boris.What's happened to Tala.What in the world is going on?'  
  
She threw herself down on what she thought was a counter. She accidentally sat on the start button, which turned on the computer with Boris' visual and audio diary of the goings on of the Abbey. Sarah jumped back in surprise as the computer began to say, "July 20, 1980."  
  
It was Boris' voice, and the monitor showed a black haired woman in a hospital bed with a baby. "My younger sister, Irina has a baby daughter. It is Irina and Nigel's first-born; Celeste Langley."  
  
Sarah stared at the screen in amazement, having calmed down a little from the shock of Tala becoming a cyborg. 'Irina and Nigel.my parents.That would mean Celeste is my sister. 23 years old- then why wasn't I ever told?'  
  
That scene soon disappeared as a picture of the Abbey courtyard appeared. "November 17, 1982. Celeste has gone missing. She had been left with Leon, but ran away from him. As we, the Biovolt team search, we pray that she has not ventured outside, for she will surely freeze to death."  
  
The picture was then on the Volga River, with an unconscious girl lying prone on the riverbank. Boris began to speak again as in the distance on the bridge, a man walked across and noticed the girl. "November 18, 1982. We have found Celeste- dead on the riverbank. We took her back to the Abbey and don't know what to do. All our hopes for this potential champion Beyblader have been thrown out the window."  
  
A shot of the girl on a stretcher was shown. She had brown hair. 'She looks a lot like I did.Poor kid.so that's why I was never told- it must've been too painful to talk about.'  
  
"November 21, 1982. We had a meeting today on what to do with Celeste, and Lutka came up with the idea to cryogenate her. Irina and Nigel have agreed, so that is what we'll do."  
  
"March 20, 1990. Tala Segevitch Romanov was born. When he is thirteen, I have plans for him that will aid the Corporation's progress."  
  
'Those plans must be for becoming a cyborg.'  
  
"November 20, 1990. Kai Daimyo Hiwatari was born. A syndicate human- Biovolt's first. The next challenge is to keep him alive. Let's hope he's not as liberation-inclined as Celeste."  
  
'Kai's a syndicate human? Does he know, I wonder? What's Boris done to us three? And what happened to my birth? I'm his niece for goodness sake, and he records everyone else's birthdays?'  
  
"July 29, 1992. Thank goodness! The cryogenation was a success! Celeste has been reborn. Irina and Nigel have a daughter while I have a niece. We've renamed her. She is now Sarah, or literally, Scrah. You see, her name's an acronym of Select Cryogenic Resurrection Achieved Human. We are all interested to see if the cryogenation will play a role in her development, if at all."  
  
Sarah became traumatized again. "So that's why I was never told of a sister- I never had one!"  
  
The computer turned off and she stepped backwards. She tripped on a stone in the floor and fell down. She stared with wide, petrified eyes at her trembling hands. "I am Celeste. Celeste is me. I died.and was brought back to life by cryogenation. Tala's a cyborg. Kai's a syndicate. and I'm resurrected.that's my aberration! We're all aberrational!"  
  
Final Showdown  
  
The Celestial Myriad had once again assembled to see the final battle between Tyson and Tala. The battle had already begun, and the two boys were halfway through, with Tyson having won the first set. Tala had used an attack by Wolborg to encase the two in a frozen parallel dimension at the beginning of the second set, which Tala then won. It now came down to this; the third and last set.  
  
Everyone in the audience watched as after a long, gruelling battle, the jagged ice prison dissipated and Tyson emerged, victorious. Tala ogled in shock.  
  
Philemon glanced up into the balcony where Boris sat to see him exclaim something, though he couldn't hear over the roar of the crowd. He observed him leave, then realized that they should probably do the same thing. "Hey, guys.We should get out of here before the other teams do."  
  
The Celestial Myriad crept out of the stadium and stood outside Biovolt Stadium. Eva placed her hands akimbo and looked in admiration at the stadium entrance. "Well, we did it. Our mission's over, and now we can participate in a tournament."  
  
"I know just the one!" exclaimed Elvin. "And it's even being held right here in Russia. It's a default tournament of the World Championships. Any team can enter. That includes the Celestial Myriad."  
  
"We should enter! We're going to show the other teams a thing or two!" suggested Philemon. He turned to Sarah. "What's wrong with you? You're normally more enthusiastic."  
  
Sarah gazed down at him. "I'm fine.just thinking. You know, maybe we should get out of here, now."  
  
"Why?" enquired Eva.  
  
Sarah hesitated. Here it went- the story of her slip-up. "Well, you see.Tala knew that Thalassa was me, and he might recognize me now, so we'd better move it before"  
  
"Hey! You!"  
  
Sarah froze and turned rigidly to see Tyson running up to them. "We've seen you at all our tournaments, and we want to know your game!" he demanded.  
  
The rest of the Bladebreakers and all the other teams (except the Demolition Boys) were now emerging from the entrance of the stadium.  
  
Philemon attempted to explain. "Uh.well, you see we're just major fans of you guys." He sounded anything but convincing.  
  
As Emily approached, she adjusted her glasses and examined Elvin and Sarah queerly. "Hey.Aren't you Alkaid? And aren't you Miranda?"  
  
"You're right, Emily.they do look a lot like them," agreed Michael.  
  
"That's funny," Kevin said as he pointed to Eva and Sarah. "You guys look more like Wirtanen and Luyten to me."  
  
"What did ever become of Mathilde and Rosalind?" questioned Oliver rhetorically.  
  
"I'd recognize those multicoloured green eyes anywhere! You're Kochab, aren't you!" exclaimed Kenny.  
  
The Celestial Myriad was now beginning to clump together in a defensive circle. "How are we going to get out of this one?" stammered Elvin.  
  
At that moment, Tala and the Demolition Boys stormed out of the entrance. The Celestial Myriad glanced at Sarah. "We're doomed." she prophesied.  
  
"What's going on?" Ian asked the throng. He surveyed Sarah. "Aren't you Thalassa?"  
  
"She's not Thalassa, Ian," explained Tala as he folded his arms in anger and glared Sarah in the eye.  
  
"She's not Rosalind, Miranda, Luyten, or Kochab, either," added Kai. "And her friends aren't who you think they are."  
  
"What?!" everyone yelled in surprise.  
  
"You win.I'm not who you think I am, and as Kai said, neither are my friends." Sighed Sarah. "My name is Sarah Langley, and this is Eva Temagami, Philemon Ivujivik, and Elvin Tremblay. I'm leader of the team, the Celestial Myriad of Canada."  
  
'My guess was right,' thought Kai. 'It's good to see her again.'  
  
'I can forgive her for betrayal.this time,' Tala said to himself.  
  
And that just proves the saying: you can lie through your teeth, but your teeth don't lie! What the Celestial Myriad did came back to haunt them. And yes! Now I can continue with the actual Hilanov Prophecy! If anyone's still reading. 


	8. The Enemy's Arisen

Finally! I can continue with the story! There are new Beyblade episodes! They're different because they're the English translations of Beibure-do, the Japanese episodes. They tell about what happened after the Russian Tournament, but I prefer to say otherwise!  
  
8. The Enemy's Arisen  
  
The Celestial Myriad had signed up for the default tournament, and the other teams were there in the audience to watch- except for the Bladebreakers, however. They were in the tournament, too. Now was the battle between the two teams. There would be four sets in this match because there were four team members on each team.  
  
The first set was between Max and Elvin. The two each stepped up to the dish and readied their blades.  
  
"3, 2, 1, Let it Rip!" announced Jazzman.  
  
Max and Elvin both pulled their winders at the same time. Elvin dove right in to the battle. "Ariamar! Meteor Charge, now!"  
  
A blue ram arose from Elvin's grey blade. With great speed and force, it 'charged' across the dish towards Max's Draciel. "Draciel, Metal Ball Defence!" Max yelled.  
  
A protective force formed around the green blade as Ariamar charged closer. Ariamar finally reached Draciel, and slammed with such force that Draciel's attack was proven useless. Draciel was knocked out of the dish, much to Max's dismay.  
  
Ariamar returned to Elvin's hand and he went to sit back down in the bleachers where the rest of the Celestial Myriad was sitting.  
  
Max traipsed to the Bladebreakers' bleachers. "Sorry, guys. Elvin's attack was just too strong ."  
  
"It's okay, Max. You did the best you could, I'm sure," consoled Ray.  
  
"The best he could?!" exclaimed Tyson as he leapt up from his seat. "He could have"  
  
"And next from the Celestial Myriad is Philemon! Who will the Bladebreakers send out?" came Jazzman's voice.  
  
Tyson stormed out of the bleachers and up to the dish. "Me! Tyson! And I'm not going to lose to some deceitful glasses freak!"  
  
Eva and Sarah began to laugh. "Good one, Tyson!" they called from the bleachers.  
  
"Uh . thanks . I think . " Tyson trailed off.  
  
"Are you ready to let it rip!" Jazz Man shouted.  
  
Like Max and Elvin, the two fired at the same time. The Bladebreakers made the first move this time. "Phantom Dragoon Hurricane Attack!"  
  
A zephyr of wind and water appeared in the dish. Philemon's black blade was sucked in and tossed about, but Philemon remained calm. "Don't you see that that's not going to work, Tyson?"  
  
"Oh yeah, why not?"  
  
"Because my Lephar is fast enough to escape your hurricane, unharmed. Just like a real hare, it'll wriggle its way out of tight situations and hop away, safe. So let's show him how it's done! Lephar! Use your Moon Jump!"  
  
Philemon's yellow blade began to jump up and down around the dish, evading debris flung out of the hurricane. Then, it jumped right in to the storm. "There's always calm in the eye of the storm!" yelled Philemon.  
  
Lephar came down from above, not in any way deterred by the hurricane that surged from Dragoon. It landed right in top of Dragoon, and Dragoon ceased its Hurricane attack. Dragoon retaliated, and began to wobble as if dizzy from the collision.  
  
"No! Dragoon!" cried Tyson in despair.  
  
"You're foe's weak! Get 'em, Lephar!" Philemon shouted as Lephar sped towards Dragoon and knocked it out of the dish with one devastating blow.  
  
Philemon simpered smugly at Tyson. "Huh! Battle's mine!" He retreated to the bleachers.  
  
Brad Best made an observation; "The Celestial Myriad's in the lead, but will the Bladebreakers make a comeback?"  
  
Ray walked over to the dish. "Oh yeah . I'm not letting you down, guys!"  
  
Eva stepped up to the other side of the dish. Philemon sighed from the bleachers as she did so. "Man . she'd better keep her focus or she'll give in to Ray . "  
  
Sarah sat back and folded her arms. "Come on, Philemon. You've got to have faith in her."  
  
"Isn't that what the Majestics said? And correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they lose the tournament?"  
  
Sarah scowled at him. "Look, I want to keep a four-zero win just like you, so that means we'll have to do the best we can."  
  
"Yeah? Well how do we know you'll win against Kai? He's the former world champion!"  
  
"Notice how you said 'former' . "  
  
"Stop arguing, guys. The battle's about to start," intercepted Elvin.  
  
Eva and Ray fired their blades on Jazzman's signal. The two blades circled each other for a moment or two, and then dove at each other. The impact sent them flying away and to the sides of the dish. "Driger! Tiger Claw!"  
  
'I remember that attack . ' thought Eva. 'That was the attack that Lee and Ray were perfecting when we were young . But of course, that means I know how to counter it!' "Hey Ray! You can't hit me if you can't aim! Pegusar, Quasar!"  
  
A white winged horse rose ascended from Eva's white blade. It began to emit a stunningly bright light, and as Driger neared Pegusar, it found itself blinded by the intense light. It threw a hit, hoping to get it lucky, but to no avail. "No, Driger! Ah! My eyes!"  
  
Eva, who had screwed her eyes shut and looked away, opened them and whirled back around to mock him. "Sorry, Ray, but I can't let the Celestial Myriad down!"  
  
'She knew the Tiger Claw's weakness . accuracy, but I never knew she was paying such close attention back in China. Only Lee and I knew that,' Ray said in his head.  
  
From the audience seats, Ian noticed a weird look in Bryan's eyes. One he'd never seen there before, but in Tala's. They looked like Tala's eyes when he looked at Sarah. 'To tease or not to tease . that is the question . with a no-brainer answer!' He unfolded his arms and sniggered. "Hey Bryan! What's with the eyes?"  
  
Bryan glimpsed downward at him. "What do you want?"  
  
"Too involved, are you?"  
  
"With what?" Bryan started to blush.  
  
"Quit it, Ian. We're trying to watch," scolded Spencer.  
  
Bryan and Ian glowered at each other before both folded their arms and turned their heads away from each other. "Hmph!"  
  
"Wow! Check out the light show, people! Is Eva trying to blind us all with her Quasar attack?" A.J. Topper screamed.  
  
"Not intentionally, I'd say! She's very patriotic, doing anything to assure the victory of her team, though there is a certain extent!" Brad countered.  
  
Ray covered his eyes with both hands. 'Man, did it hurt!' He couldn't stand to look- it was just too painful to even squint. While he was protecting his eyes, the downside was that he couldn't see what was happening to Driger. How could Eva stand the brightness?  
  
Ray could hear Eva's command for Pegusar to finish it. He heard a clash of Beyblades, and knew that was it; he had lost-to a girl. "No! Ray!" He heard Tyson yell.  
  
Then, "Oh yeah!" Max's voice. Ray slowly took his hands away to see Driger rebound off the side of the dish and across to the other side. He hadn't lost! What a relief! There was still hope! The look on Eva's face was scary. She thought she had had him for sure.  
  
"How ironic," Kai sighed.  
  
"Ha, ha!" He saw Philemon laugh.  
  
"Out of the cooking pot and into the fire!" exclaimed Elvin.  
  
"Oh, Ray . " Kenny groaned.  
  
Ray glanced at his Beyblade, which lay outside the dish, opposite the side that it almost exited from before. "Oh great . " he mumbled. While the blade had avoided one side of the dish, it had ricocheted and flew out the other.  
  
Eva called back her blade and skipped back to the Celestial Myriad's bleachers.  
  
"That was the funniest thing I've ever seen!" Philemon cried mockingly.  
  
"Hey, I won, didn't I?"  
  
"Exactly. That's what's so funny."  
  
"What?! Why you little!" Eva screamed as she went for Philemon's neck.  
  
Sarah stood up solemnly. Normally she would have laughed at their antics, but not this time. She was still too shaken from the secret she hadn't been meant to know about. She advanced towards the dish, but Elvin's voice stopped her.  
  
"You're up against Kai. Don't lose, or you'll make a fool of yourself. We've won the other three battles easily, and as leader, you're supposed to be the strongest."  
  
'Easy for you to say,' she thought to herself as she nodded and continued to walk. 'You weren't up against the former world champion . You also weren't up against a syndicate experimental human.'  
  
"And the Bladebreakers are down three matches, but will Kai make a comeback, or a fool of the name?" Jazzman vociferated.  
  
Kai placed his hand firmly on his shooter and winder. "We may have been friends when we were younger, but that won't deter me from winning this match!"  
  
"Kai knew her when she was young? Great! That means he has an advantage!" exclaimed Tyson happily. "That also explains the reason for his feelings for Kochab. It's just like you and Mariah, Ray."  
  
"That doesn't mean he has the advantage," Ray replied gravely. "I knew Eva when I was young, and look what happened to me."  
  
"You did?" Kenny, Max, and Tyson gasped.  
  
"Yes . She was a girl who lived in my town, though I never really knew nor noticed her."  
  
"Why do all these girls live in your town, Ray?" Max asked suspiciously.  
  
"The two team captains! Are you ready?" Jazzman yelled.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be!" Sarah ejaculated.  
  
"Ditto!" Kai shouted.  
  
"Three, Two, One, "  
  
"Let it rip!" Kai, Sarah, and Jazzman cried out in unison.  
  
"This battle'll be a cinch! I've analyzed all your moves by now, Kai. You should've been more careful about allowing Kochab to follow the Bladebreakers around!" gloated Sarah.  
  
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Sarah! I've some tricks up my sleeve you haven't yet seen!" Kai revelled. "Dranzer! Fire Arrow!"  
  
Dranzer shot up from the blue blade and aimed a stream of fire at Sarah's purple blade. Sarah watched nonchalantly. "Hmm . Impressive. You got a new Bit Beast, did you?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
Sarah lowered her head slightly. "Well, let me tell you: sometimes old is just as good! You'll remember this one! Fovular, Black Hole!"  
  
"Fovular?!" Bryan, Spencer, and Ian exclaimed.  
  
"How the heck did she get that?!" Ian questioned.  
  
Tala slumped down in his seat.  
  
Sarah's Beyblade flew into the middle of the dish and out of Dranzer's line of fire. It spun around faster and faster, creating a black vortex. It beckoned for Dranzer and everything else with an unavoidable gravitational force.  
  
Kai could feel himself being pulled towards it, and he knew the same thing was happening to Dranzer. Dranzer struggled madly against it, along with everyone else in the stadium, save Sarah and the rest of the Myriad. Dranzer fought a while longer before finally giving in. It disappeared from sight in to the black hole in the middle of the dish. "Dranzer! No, I can't lose like this!"  
  
Sarah grinned heinously at the petrified Kai. "Your goose is cooked." She taunted.  
  
Just after she said that, the darkness dissipated and the two switched expressions. "That's not right! What happened?" Sarah queried rhetorically.  
  
"Your plan backfired, that's what!" Kai answered.  
  
Both the blades had stopped spinning, and were locked together by their attack rings.  
  
"Whoa! I'm not sure who lost! They're both 'locked' in combat, but neither one is spinning!" declared Jazzman.  
  
"Ew, Sarah!" came Philemon's discouraging cry.  
  
"Maybe this is foretelling something of the Beybladers," Tyson suggested, only to be whacked over the head by Kenny.  
  
"Stop being so immature! It doesn't mean anything!"  
  
Robert seemed impressed. "A truly interesting turnout."  
  
"Though it has no winner," added Johnny. "I thought for sure Kai would lose."  
  
"You don't like Kai, do you, Johnny?" asked Oliver.  
  
"You only noticed now, Oliver?" Enrique questioned sarcastically.  
  
Jazzman had finally come up with the winner. "And this battle ends up in a tie! Yet, the Celestial Myriad takes it!"  
  
The Bladebreakers sulked as the Celestial Myriad jumped for joy. Kai jumped in to the dish and picked up their Beyblades. He separated them carefully and glanced up at Sarah who was staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. He climbed out of the dish and advanced on Sarah, who glared at him in shock. He stood barely a foot away from her, the closest he'd been to her in years, and handed her her Beyblade. "Good battle."  
  
Sarah took it gingerly from his outstretched hand. "Thank you," her voice squeaked, feeling xenophobic.  
  
Tala shifted uneasily in his chair as he watched the scene.  
  
The next day, after the Celestial Myriad had won the first match against the Bladebreakers and now they were advancing to battle a new team; Vitality Extortion. The Celestial Myriad sat in their bleachers facing the other team. They were thinking of the Bladebreakers' losing statement: "If you lose to another team and win to us, you'll embarrass yourselves in front of the whole world!"  
  
"What an encouraging statement," Eva said sarcastically.  
  
Sarah surveyed the other team. There was a girl with navy blue hair tied by a gold band in a long ponytail, supposedly their leader. She wore a crimson red jacket that reminded Sarah of blood. And just like the Celestial Myriad's moon belts, the 'blood' jackets must have been Vitality Extortion's trademark clothing article because all three members had a jacket. It had an odd symbol on it, like a specific company's. Under the girl's jacket, she wore a black dress with short skirt. She had matching black wristbands and knee-high red boots. She looked oddly familiar, as if a fusion of her and Kai, with those solemn brown eyes and bangs like his.  
  
Another member, a male, had brown hair and green eyes. His hairstyle was similar to that of Tala's, only shorter and with Sarah's bangs. He wore the red jacket and black shorts with red boots. He also had black wristbands. He seemed like a mix of Sarah and Tala.  
  
The third and final member was also a male with Kai's hairstyle and Tala's bangs. He had red hair and blue eyes. He also wore the jacket with full- length black pants, black wristbands, and red running shoes. He was the combination of Kai and Tala.  
  
"I'm the one who's not battling, right, Sarah?" Elvin asked, startling her.  
  
"Huh? Oh! Yeah . "  
  
A.J. Topper was ready to start the battle. "Hey everyone! We're here today to see the battle of the Celestial Myriad and Vitality Extortion! As you saw yesterday, the Myriad defeated the Bladebreakers 3-0 and a tie, so we have an interesting match today with two teams who have never shown their faces at a tournament before this one!"  
  
"Tala."  
  
Tala jumped and whirled around to look behind him. Boris stood in the aisle, glaring down at him. "Yes sir?"  
  
"I thought you were supposed to be training."  
  
Tala leapt up from his seat and stood at attention. "Uh, sir . sorry, I just had to watch."  
  
Boris looked at the match-ups below. His eyes widened on seeing the other team, Vitality Extortion. "The others aren't here, so I'll forgive you, so long as you give this to my niece."  
  
"You mean Sarah?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why? Why don't you?"  
  
A look from Boris silenced him and answered his question. Boris handed him a gold bracelet. Tala took it and looked at it queerly. "What's this for?"  
  
"Good luck and . protection." With that, Boris turned and left.  
  
"From what?" Tala called back after him. There was no reply. "Fine then . "  
  
"And the first two players are steeping up to the dish! Both the leaders of the teams; Sarah from the Celestial Myriad and Spica of Vitality Extortion!" exclaimed Brad.  
  
Sarah moved towards the dish, but then heard someone call her name. She turned around to see Tala emerge from the hallway behind the bleachers, running at her. When he caught up to her, he paused to catch his breath and then shoved the bracelet into her hand. "What's this?" she questioned.  
  
"It's from Boris," he explained. "It's for good luck he says, and he wants you to wear it during the battle."  
  
Sarah unfastened it and put it on slowly. "Okay . thank you."  
  
She ascended the stairs to the dish. The Myriad invited Tala to sit down with them instead of in the audience. He obliged and watched Sarah with worried eyes. 'Does Boris know something that we don't? Protection from what will she need?'  
  
Spica and Sarah fired their Beyblades on Jazzman's signal. Spica's black blade and Sarah's purple one clashed in the middle before flying in opposite directions. "Revenost, use Return!" Spica commanded.  
  
Revenost, her purple Bit Beast, flashed and then moved as if it had just been fired again and flew into the middle. It had regained spin that it had lost from the initial collision.  
  
"Fovular, White Hole!" adjured Sarah. An opposite of the attack she had used on Kai yesterday, it flew in to the middle and slightly knocked Revenost out of the way. A white light emanated from Fovular and the gravitational force was placed in reverse. It sent Revenost to the edge of the dish.  
  
Spica wasn't about to give in. Almost immediately after the attack started, it ended because Revenost used Return again, and Fovular was back at the side of the dish with Revenost on the other.  
  
Sarah withdrew slightly from the dish. "Huh? What happened?"  
  
A heinous smile crossed Spica's features. "Don't you see? Whenever my Bit Beast, Revenost is a revenant, or ghost that returns to a specific place. When it uses its return, it takes the battle back in time, returning one or both of the users to its previous condition." 'Though I have one question for you; why aren't you succumbing to my attacks?'  
  
"Sarah! Don't let it use that attack!" Philemon cried.  
  
"Use your head, kid! It's easier said than done!" she shouted back. "Unless . "  
  
"Fovular! White Hole!" Fovular swiftly obeyed the command, diving into the middle. It once again exerted the gravitational force. "Now overlap with Black Hole!"  
  
Fovular slowly died off with the White Hole and began to start Black Hole as the White disappeared, but before it did, grey started to swirl and the grey circle formed like a safeguard around Fovular.  
  
"I don't know what you're doing, but it's not going to work. Revenost! Return!" Revenost followed Spica's command and attempted to turn back time, but to Spica's surprise, nothing happened. "What? What the?"  
  
It was Sarah's turn to smile. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Don't you know that when a black hole and white hole collide, they form either a quasar or wormhole? While a quasar has entirely different purposes, a wormhole is a portal for time, so the wormhole my Fovular created cancels out your Revenost's Return!"  
  
Spica growled as Fovular charged at Revenost. Spica would have fought back, but knew she was done for, and didn't bother to fight it anymore. She watched as it was knocked out and flung back in her teammates' direction.  
  
Tala settled down on seeing the win. She wasn't hurt. But what injuries could she have suffered in the first place?  
  
Sarah came and sat down on the bench beside him as Philemon stood up and advanced on the dish. "Knock 'em dead, Philemon!" she called.  
  
"With Vitality down one, the Myriad's spirits are soaring, but for how long? We'll find out in this next match between Telesto and Philemon!" Jazzman vociferated. "Three . two . one . Let it rip!"  
  
"Lephar, attack!" Philemon commanded.  
  
The yellow blade charged at Telesto's grey one. "Doppelgost, Double-Go!" ordered Telesto.  
  
Just before impact, Doppelgost split into two separate blades, and moved in opposing directions in the dish away from Lephar. Philemon paused a moment to analyze the situation. He told Lephar to retreat to the middle. It spun there for a moment as the two Doppelgosts revolved around it on the outside and then dove in. They tackled Lephar from different sides, battering it badly. Philemon could strangely feel Lephar's pain. It was excruciating and relentless. He felt like he was being pounded by the red doppelganger Bit Beasts themselves.  
  
The Celestial Myriad and Tala noticed Philemon recoiling and wincing. "What's happening, Philemon?" Eva questioned.  
  
"No . idea!" Philemon replied with an extremely pained expression. "Lephar! Keep . fighting! Don't . give . in!"  
  
Lephar did as it was told, and began to tackle both of the blades in a Ping- Pong ball's motion, back and forth, bouncing between them. Slowly, the blades were pushed away, but then went in pursuit of the hare Bit Beast. Philemon was now on the floor, trying to recover from the pain, and too injured to give commands. Lephar, knowing this, decided to take control of itself. Making a suicidal move, yet knowing that the Doppelgosts would follow, it flung itself from the dish, all three blades landing on the floor at the same time: a tie.  
  
The rest of the Celestial Myriad rushed over to Philemon who was on his knees. They bombarded him with questions like, "What happened?" "Are you okay?" "Do you need a doctor?"  
  
Philemon didn't reply, and so they just lifted him up and took him back to the bench. Tala stared in wonder. 'So that must be it . The protection that Sarah needed . "  
  
Eva stood in front of the bench, glowered at the last boy, and clenched her fists. "I'll win this one, and I won't let your suffering go unpunished, Philemon."  
  
She stormed over to the dish and fit her blade to her shooter. "You're going down, whoever you are!" She yelled at the boy.  
  
"Please call me Kuiper," he answered politely.  
  
"Three . two . one . Let it rip!" Jazzman yelled once more. Kuiper and Eva both fired.  
  
"Poltost, Invisivandal!" Kuiper yelled, making the first move. The white Beyblade itself didn't seem to do anything, but suddenly Eva began to hear strange noises all around her head, noises that don't usually occur in a Beyblade battle. She turned her head away to see what was happening, but she couldn't find the noises' sources.  
  
The next thing she heard was sounds of a dish crumbling. As she whipped back around, she felt a sharp pain, one similar to that which Philemon had felt. It felt as if something was being thrown on her, something heavy, but there was nothing. She observed the dish to see chunks of cement from the dish being thrown at Pegusar, though. "Pegusar, Quasar!" she managed to yell.  
  
The bright light appeared, blinding Kuiper. The blue poltergeist Bit Beast, Poltost, flashed and then sunk back down into its blade. Pegusar made a go for it, knocking Poltost out with one hit, but was then knocked off balance and stopped spinning as it was it by a cement chunk hurled by Poltost. It was another tie, and like Philemon, Eva was in severe pain.  
  
Sarah ran over to her and helped her up. "Eva! Are you okay? Why was I the only one who wasn't hurt?"  
  
"Because you had protection," Tala explained as he stepped over to the two.  
  
"What do you mean?" Eva moaned.  
  
"I mean that Sarah must have been protected by some strange force field or something. Remember that bracelet I gave you? Boris said that that would protect you from Vitality Extortion's onslaughts. Well, not directly, but I can make the inference."  
  
Sarah looked discouragingly at her wounded friend and then back up at Tala. "But why would Uncle Boris only protect me and not the rest of the Myriad?"  
  
"Have you ever thought that maybe we're not his relatives?" Elvin asked sarcastically as he staggered up to them, Philemon supported by his arm.  
  
"How disappointing. Two ties and a loss. When you work for Goadbwa, that isn't acceptable. I shall expect better from you next time. Especially you, Spica," a tall man said as he scowled downwards at Vitality Extortion. The man had dark brown hair and grey eyes. He wore a red turtle neck and black jacket with gold linings. He wore white gloves and black pants and dress shoes that matched his jacket. On the jacket was the same logo that was on Vitality Extortion's red jackets. He had a moustache and glasses with reddish-brown lenses. He bore an uncanny resemblance to Boris in both mental and physical appearance.  
  
After a succinct "Yes, sir," from Spica, Telesto, and Kuiper, the man led the three out of the stadium. The Celestial Myriad and Tala watched them depart down the corridor.  
  
Two days later, while everyone was busy doing their own thing, such as the Celestial Myriad battling against a team called the Blade Sovereign (a team of four), the Bladebreakers watching them, minus Ray who was recovering in the hospital, and the Demolition Boys who were training at Biovolt, the other teams arranging flights back to their homecountries. But the actual teams were waiting for their adult supervisors such as Mr. Dickenson, Judy and Gustav to arrange the flights. The teams were given free time to hang around Russia.  
  
Mariah was with Ray, and the rest were doing various things. An example was Enrique, Kevin, and Eddy. They were just walking around together, seeing all that Russia had to offer. They then decided to face off in a Beyblade battle against each other. They found a back alley where they wouldn't cause a disturbance.  
  
They were halfway through their battle when three other kids appeared. "What do you want?" demanded Eddy.  
  
"We want to battle," one of them replied, they sounded like a girl. As they stepped into the light, Eddy, Kevin and Enrique could see that she was a girl, with two boys.  
  
"Hey, I remember you three! You're Vitality Extortion, the team that the Celestial Myriad battled two days ago, " cited Kevin.  
  
Telesto placed his hands akimbo. "Right you are. Since we tied with them, don't you guys want to see if you're better than we are?"  
  
"Hang on a sec, technically, you guys didn't win because you lost the first match to Sarah. So, why would we want to battle a loser team? Besides, you 'tied' in a default tournament." Enrique stated.  
  
"Yes, but we weren't putting our full heart in it yesterday," Kuiper said, cockiness in his voice.  
  
Eddy turned to Kevin and Enrique. "Well, what do you say, guys?"  
  
"I say we take 'em on!" Kevin exclaimed.  
  
Enrique shrugged. "I guess so . "  
  
They all readied their blades, to fire at the same time in a team elimination round. They shot on the "Let It Rip!" of the countdown, and to Enrique's, Kevin's, and Eddy's astonishment, were beaten, literally and badly.  
  
"What? How'd that happen?!" Michael, Lee, and Robert cried in unison.  
  
"This means our flights will have to be postponed . " groaned Michael.  
  
The three leaders were surprised to find members of their team in the hospital the next day. All six teams had come to visit, and to see what had happened. Boris and Mr. Dickenson had also come. Boris for the story and Mr. Dickenson out of concern.  
  
When Boris left early, the Demolition Boys naturally followed him, but so did Sarah. Kai decided to, too, after seeing the look on Boris' face when he saw the three injured boys.  
  
At the Abbey, Sarah, Kai, and Tala were called to Boris' office. He flopped down at his desk and clasped his hands as the three stood in front of him with blank expressions. "I don't suppose you know why I've called you here?"  
  
The three shook their heads.  
  
"Well, I have a strange suspicion about that team, Vitality Extortion and their adult supervisor, Gilepse. You see, like me, Gilepse is a president, but of Goadbwa Enterprises. Like the Demolition Boys, Vitality Extortion is a product team, mascots for the company. What I need you three to do is to persuade Mr. Dickenson and the rest of the BBA to help Biovolt in exposing Goadbwa for the fraud they are." Boris explained.  
  
"But aren't Goadbwa and Biovolt partners?" Sarah questioned innocently.  
  
"They were, and Gilepse and I were best friends. But there was an estrangement between us after the Black Dranzer incident . " he growled as he glared at Kai, who turned away. "Ever since, the two companies have been rivals. The worst we've done for years is try to get at each other's material by sending in spies or things like that, but I now have suspicions that Goadbwa has found a new way of reinforcing Bit Beast powers in an inhumane way. They have mundane ambitions and will stop at no lengths to reach them."  
  
"Sounds like Biovolt to me," Tala quipped.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing, sir!"  
  
"But why of all people did you choose us, and why do we have to convince the BBA? Why can't you, Boris?" Kai asked, obviously reluctant to accept the mission.  
  
"Because Mr. Dickenson won't listen to me. Goadbwa is in his good books and Biovolt in his bad. He'd sooner slaughter than help me."  
  
Sarah glanced at Tala and Kai's expressions and then at the determination in her uncle's eyes, though covered by the red and black glasses. "I'll help you, Uncle Boris."  
  
"Thank you, my niece," Boris replied, a look of relief on his face.  
  
"I'll help, too!" Tala and Kai exclaimed in unison on hearing Sarah's consent.  
  
Okay, sorry for any Eddy, Kevin, or Enrique fans (if they even have any) but I had to hurt someone. No, actually, Vitality Extortion had to hurt someone. So anyway, now the plot of the story is really beginning to unfold, huh? This is only the beginning . 


	9. Prophecy And Persuasion

Wah! So much to do so little time! I'm dying under it this all! I've had to reload so many chapters because of something that's so bugging me! I don't understand this formatting thingummy that Fanfiction has! But that's not so bad... What is is the last name mistakes I've made! It's Boris Balkov, not Yevgeny, Robert Jergins, not Boleyn, and Johnny McGreggor, not McKenzie! Oh! And I was also too lazy to change Biovolt Abbey to Balkov Abbey, but that's what it'll be from now on. Oh Yeah! Thanks for those new reviews! May good fortune come your way, reviewers ^-^ (Rein aka Gracewolf, Silver- eyes Magician Girl, Labrat)! And to Lorien: I'll look into it. Thank you.  
  
9. Prophecy And Persuasion  
  
"But Mr. Dickenson, please! You must listen to me! My uncle has extremely bad feelings about Goadbwa and you must listen this time! Boris may have done you wrong in the past, but he's serious this time! He wouldn't send me unless this threatened more than Biovolt!" Sarah protested to Mr. Dickenson.  
  
Mr. Dickenson turned away from her. "As much as I want to trust you, Sarah my dear, I'm afraid I can't. Boris has done too much to betray my trust forever."  
  
"Well, you trusted a relative of his, his niece, with helping the Bladebreakers. What would have made you thought that she couldn't have been corrupted by him?" Tala countered.  
  
Kai stood with folded arms, not wanting to intrude unless absolutely necessary. "Tala, you're from Boris' side, so I wouldn't be talking much if I were you."  
  
"Yeah? Well you're not me, so just but out!"  
  
"Please, please, boys. There's no need to fight. I'm not sure. Tala makes a good point and so do you, but I'll have to reconsider your offer. I'm afraid I still don't have perfect trust in Boris," Mr. Dickenson said, lowering his head.  
  
Sarah stared at him with hurt sympathy. She paused before replying. "Okay...Thank you, sir."  
  
"I agree with my uncle. Do you guys?" Sarah asked as she walked with Kai and Tala back towards Biovolt.  
  
Neither Kai nor Tala was really paying attention, but they both said "Yeah," and nodded their heads.  
  
When they finally reached the Abbey (coming from the hospital), they saw Boris standing in the courtyard talking to a quartet of teenagers about up to his nose. "Who are they?" Tala asked rhetorically.  
  
Sarah cocked her head to one side. "Hey, aren't they the team the Blade Sovereign? The team that the Celestial Myriad battled yesterday?"  
  
Kai squinted his eyes at them from a distance. "Yeah, they are."  
  
The two boys observed as she skipped over to Boris. They saw the teens look down at her as she asked something and then Boris replied. Sarah seemed to draw back quickly from the four in surprise and fear. Tala and Kai rushed over to see what was going on.  
  
Tala was the first to arrive. "What happened? Who are they?"  
  
The female with reddish-brown hair and dark blue eyes replied prissily. "As if you wouldn't know. You don't remember me? I'm Anya Romanov."  
  
Tala cocked his head to one side in confusion. "Sorry, I'm afraid I don't."  
  
A look of hurt surprise crossed Anya's face. "What?! You don't remember your own sister, Tala Romanov? I'm ashamed to be your relative."  
  
Tala began to sweat a cold sweat. 'She...she's...my sister?! An overexcited girl like that?!'  
  
Kai smirked but didn't say anything.  
  
"Hiwatari..."  
  
Kai looked up at the other girl, blue-haired with brown eyes; like him. "Yeah?"  
  
"Do you recognize me?" she asked solemnly. She had no smile, the life seemed drawn from her eyes and features. She stood there gravely with her hands at her sides dressed in a black baggy turtleneck, full-length pants and boots. Her ensemble was all black. Though she bore a resemblance to Kai, her hair was only one shade of blue: light. Her hair layered, short and clung to the sides of her head. Her voice was as death-like and quiet as her physical appearance.  
  
"Aren't you Rhea, the one Elvin battled yesterday?" Kai replied, feeling like a total stranger to this sedate female teen.  
  
"I'm Rhea Hiwatari, your older sister."  
  
Kai didn't make the same reaction as Tala had, though he would have if Anya was his sister. He merely stared with wide eyes long and hard at Rhea, who did the same with dull ones.  
  
Sarah glanced at the reactions of Kai and Tala and then turned back to her sibling; a male, Samson Langley. He stood taller than her and glared deeply in to her green his eyes with his. His were of a slightly different colour, though. His were more of a greenish-grey colour that only looked dark blue on occasion. His brown hair was a different shade, too; a darker brown, though not as dark as Eva's. He wore a white T-shirt with collar and buttons. Underneath, he wore a black T-shirt. He also wore a brown belt with silver buckle and black full-length pants. He wore white tennis shoes. Unlike her friends Philemon and Elvin, his hair was slightly shaggy and didn't spike without gel.  
  
Tala and Anya continued to glare at each other, disgusted with one another. Anya's hair was less vibrant and more brownish while her eyes were a much darker blue than her brother's. She wore a dull brown jacket with matching bell-bottom pants of the same colour. Underneath, she had a bright red shirt and then brown ankle-boots on her feet. Her bangs were similar to that of Mariah's, and the hair at the sides of her head was tied back in half-pigtails with red glass balls. Her hairstyle was exactly like Sarah's when she was little, Tala noticed.  
  
Those three bore similar appearances to those of their younger siblings.  
  
Kai, Tala, and Sarah then observed the other boy, who had a sly smile and nonchalant look in his red eyes. He had dark grey hair, his natural hair colour, it seemed. Why would a teen be greying? His hair was quite shaggy and like Samson's, didn't spike. He wore a white, baggy, long- sleeved shirt that had laces in the middle from the chest up. He had the slit where they were strung open slightly. He had black full-length pants with black shoes.  
  
"Aren't you going to introduce yourself? Not that you didn't yesterday... but formally." Boris urged the boy.  
  
He took his hands out of his pant pockets. "My name's Kieran Temagami."  
  
"Temagami! That's Eva's last name! Are you her brother or something?" Sarah gasped.  
  
"Yup," he answered with a nod of his head. "So, how's she doing?"  
  
Sarah withdrew slightly. "She's fine. Quite the Beyblader. Did she learn from you?"  
  
"No. I thought you taught her."  
  
"Not exact-"  
  
Boris intercepted. "Could you two possibly talk later? There's something I have to show Hiwatari, Langley, and Romanov."  
  
Without waiting for a reply, Boris turned and walked into the Abbey as the seven followed him. Their footsteps echoed down the empty hallways as Boris led them towards the main control room. Halfway down the long corridor, though, he stopped and turned to face the stone wall. "Here is where your destiny begins," he said simply.  
  
"Um... Uncle Boris? Are you sure that those glasses of yours aren't malfunctioning?" Samson asked innocently.  
  
"Yeah. That's a wall, Mr. Balkov," added Anya.  
  
Boris pulled a card from his green trench coat. He slashed it through a reader in the wall. "Yes, but a very special wall."  
  
There was a beep from the reader, and then a rumbling as the stone wall began to rise, revealing a dark staircase passageway. They all watched as Boris reached inside and picked up a lantern from inside the doorway. "Kieran, I would ask that you find the other teams and bring them to the Abbey. Vladimir should be in the front Abbey there to await their arrival."  
  
"Yes, sir," Kieran replied as he made a quick bow and ran away, finding it difficult to tear his eyes away from the sight.  
  
Once Kieran was out of ear and eye shot, Boris continued to explain as he lit the lantern with a match. "The members of Balkov Abbey found this a few weeks ago. We're trying to make sense of it, but we need help. That is one of the reasons why we need the BBA and the other teams' help. Your minds are younger and they have the technology."  
  
He stepped inside and descended the staircase. The six could see that the staircase spiralled downwards along the wide the wall, and far. They made their way down the staircase with extreme caution, because there were no guardrails and it was very narrow.  
  
When they finally reached the bottom about forty metres down, they came to a strange, small corridor that Boris almost had to bend down to get into. They all gazed around the chamber, surveying the strange writing on the walls. It was in no language any of them understood, if a language at all. Yet some characters were extract from that of the English, Russian, and Japanese alphabets.  
  
When they finally came to the end of the passage, Boris lifted the lantern high to find a dead end. The wall in front of them was covered in the same scrawl, and in front of it stood a large, stone, rectangular object embedded in the floor.  
  
Anya stepped forward to look at it. "What's that?"  
  
Boris lifted his head and glanced around the passage himself. "It's a coffin."  
  
Four except the Hiwataris jumped back.  
  
"This is a tomb we're in. The tomb of the Hilanovs, to be exact. As you can see, this corridor is covered in a strange writing that must have been used by some ancient civilization. Balkov Abbey must have been built over it to conceal something. Though what secrets these walls hold, I've no idea," Boris explained.  
  
"So what does this have to do with us? And what exactly is a 'Hilanov'?" Sarah queried.  
  
Boris turned back to the six teens. "Long ago, people lived in peace with the souls of the world. There was no known evil, none that was a threat, anyway. But then, just when everything seemed perfect, that's when the evil rose. These people tried to combat the evil, but to no avail. The war and torture continued for years until three of the victims who had grown up in the environment could stand it no more.  
  
"They took a stand to suppress the evil. Though only thirteen, they fought bravely, with a courage that none of the other victims had or displayed. With help from the souls, they defeated the evil and saved everyone from an eternity of oppression.  
  
"Everyone thanked them in the end, and recognized their names; Hiwatari, Langley, and Romanov. Their names were morphed together to make the name Hilanov."  
  
"Those are our last names... but surely that can't mean anything. This happened millions of years ago, didn't it?" Rhea mumbled.  
  
Boris nodded. "Yes, but from the research Biovolt has done, more recent salvations have occurred."  
  
"Well how do know that we're the right Hilanovs, sir? And even if we are, what is the evil?" Tala asked, sounding doubtful.  
  
Boris sighed. "Once again, this goes back to the Black Dranzer incident, when Anya, Rhea and Samson weren't there. So, I have my suspicions of the three of this generation."  
  
Kai unfolded his arms. "What does the Black Dranzer incident have to do with this?"  
  
Boris' arm was now beginning to get tired from having to hold the lantern. He handed it to Sarah and replied to Kai. "Remember after the blade was fired that a red light flew up and destroyed the Abbey? Do you remember the cross that it made in the sky?"  
  
Kai had a dumbfounded look on his face as he tried to reminisce. "Yeah... It was a papal cross, wasn't it?"  
  
"I rest my case."  
  
There was a long pause as no one said anything.  
  
Boris broke the silence. "Do you still have your pendants, Kai, Tala, and Sarah?"  
  
Kai and Sarah reached in to their pant pockets as Tala reached into his shirt. They outstretched their hands to reveal three different crosses each made of a different type of mineral. Kai's, the papal cross, was made of topaz. Tala's, the patriarchal cross, was made of bloodstone, and Sarah's, the Latin, was made of ruby.  
  
Samson, Rhea, and Anya eyed then with envy. They had never seen anything like them before, and they were beautiful.  
  
"Boris, sir!"  
  
They all looked up to see a lady with black hair, lab coat, pink turtleneck, black jeans, and black dress shoes scurry up to them. When she reached them, she stared at Sarah and Samson for a moment oddly and then turned to Boris. "Boris, Vladimir told me to tell you that the BBA and the other teams are here."  
  
Boris chuckled. "Goodness, the whole BBA?"  
  
The woman didn't return the gaiety. "No, just Stanley Dickenson and Judy Tate. Oh! And there's an e-mail from Voltaire in the company's databases."  
  
"What does it say?"  
  
The woman began to stare at Sarah and Samson again. Her gaze wandered to Kai, who stood there with the same solemnity as his sister. She inched closer to Boris, as if afraid that the three were going to gang up on her and attack. "I'm not sure- I haven't read it. Though Lutka has- she'd know."  
  
"Thank you, Irina," Boris replied.  
  
The woman eyed the three a moment longer before scurrying away again.  
  
Boris turned back to them once the lady had left. He was about to speak when Kai interrupted. "Why was that lady, Irina, was it? Staring at me?"  
  
Boris' expression was that of slight astonishment. "You don't remember her? Without her, you probably wouldn't be alive today. And neither would you, Sarah and Samson."  
  
Kai tried to think... This was probably linked to the Black Dranzer incident... everything else seemed to be these days. 'Let's see... I broke into the test facilities, broke the case then used Black Dranzer. Once the Abbey started to be razed, I ran from the room and encountered the security guard and then...'  
  
Kai flashed back in his memory. "Move it!" he heard Irina yell once more.  
  
"Of course! Now I remember! Irina was the one that led me from the Abbey!"  
  
"That's right," Boris said as he glanced at Sarah to see if she'd realized her linkage. He noticed that she had begun to scowl. "What is it, Sarah?"  
  
She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eye. "Yes, I remember her. She's my mother, isn't she? And also the one that agreed to my cry-"  
  
Boris simpered and cut her off, not wanting the others to hear what she had found out... somehow... "Yes, she's your mother too, Samson. Sister Lutka is your mother, Anya and Tala."  
  
There was a huge gasp as the Hiwataris listened intently for who their parents were. Boris didn't pause for effect, though (would you when you know you're about to be pummelled with questions you'd rather not answer and a young girl is about to vociferate the happenings of illegal operations you performed?). "But anyway, let us talk later. Anya, Rhea, Samson, go to my office and read the e-mail. Kai, Tala, Sarah, come with me."  
  
"It doesn't take four teens to read an e-mail, Mr. Balkov," Anya protested.  
  
Boris was too embarrassed to reply and merely left the chamber to ascend the stairs, trench coat billowing from behind him. Kai, Tala and Sarah accompanied him without another word. The other three did the same but stormed off in the other direction (Anya anyway) once Boris closed the door.  
  
"What's wrong, Anya?" Samson questioned once Boris was out of earshot.  
  
Anya replied angrily without turning to face him. "There's something that your uncle doesn't want us to know."  
  
"What's so wrong with that?"  
  
Anya froze and whirled around. She gave him a look as if what it meant was blatantly obvious. "He doesn't want us to know! What if we're missing out on something that our bratty little siblings get to do?"  
  
"There'll be other privileges for us. Besides, my sister needs her fifteen minutes of fame," Samson replied simply.  
  
Anya growled. "Yeah? Well don't you think she had enough when her team defeated us yesterday?" She paused and looked over his shoulder at Rhea. "What about you, Hiwatari? Aren't you jealous of your brother, Kai?"  
  
Rhea continued to stare blankly. "Why should I be?" Then she resumed walking and stepped right past the annoyed Anya.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Dickenson, sir. I tell you the truth about Goadbwa Enterprises. I and the rest of the Biovolt team need your help in deciphering the text, which could very well be the vital link between stopping Goadbwa or letting them win."  
  
Mr. Dickenson eyed Boris with suspicion. "You and Voltaire really should be in jail, but I'll give you a chance and listen. Though you'll have to expand on your point, more."  
  
"Yes, of course. We can talk in my office." Boris reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out some pieces of paper. He handed them to Sarah. "Take these and try to make sense of them with the other teams."  
  
Sarah took them and observed them. They had the writings that were on the chamber walls on them. "You can work on them in the cafeteria," she heard him add. "If you don't know, Tala will show you."  
  
The Demolition Boys led the other teams to the cafeteria as Boris took Mr. Dickenson and Judy to his office.  
  
Everyone sat in the cafeteria (except for Ray, Eddy, Kevin, and Enrique) racking their brains out over the puzzle. Most of them had parted into their separate teams and were trying to solve it among each team. Though they were putting their heads together, after an hour or so, everyone was getting annoyed, frustrated, and some even fell asleep (I won't mention any names, Tyson).  
  
Kenny and Emily seemed to be the only ones who were really concentrating. "That just doesn't sense, Chief. That doesn't comply with that letter, though," Philemon heard Dizzi say. That interested him so he pushed himself up from the table and shuffled over to where the two sat.  
  
Kenny threw his arms up in the air in despair as Philemon sat down. "Ugh! Nothing works! This thing is indecipherable!"  
  
"Don't give up, Kenny," Emily tried to console him.  
  
Philemon took a closer look at the screen with tired eyes. He looked at the prophecy's letter equivalents to those of English. He could see that some of them didn't correspond correctly, but he also noticed that if you just switched a couple of letters around...  
  
"Excellent job, kid! Those letters seem to exactly fit! Now it makes sense," Dizzi exclaimed.  
  
Kenny, who hadn't been paying attention, returned to reality. "Huh? Oh! Philemon! You found the answer!"  
  
Everyone perked up and rushed over at those words. Even Tyson woke up. Sarah grabbed Philemon and hugged him. "Oh, I knew you had it in that Academic Award brain of yours!"  
  
"I'll give you the honour of reading it out," Kenny offered.  
  
"Okay..." Philemon trailed off as he brought his eyes closer to Dizzi's monitor. He took a deep breath in.  
  
"The Hilanov Prophecy...  
  
"Destined throughout the generations  
  
To save one and all-  
  
Humanity, animal and spirit-  
  
The world they shall enthral.  
  
"Though aberrations surround their birth;  
  
They're the strongest of their kind;  
  
The source of strength: the spirits of the earth-  
  
Such power that's hard to find.  
  
"Hair of red and eyes of blue-  
  
The one that remains confident and true.  
  
Hair of blue and eyes of brown-  
  
Solemn, solitary, and rebellion-bound.  
  
Hair of brown and eyes of green-grey-  
  
The strongest of the three though they fear to be brave.  
  
"As strong as they are, they won't always prevail  
  
They won't always hold out as the prophecy entails.  
  
The day when it's finally over-  
  
When evil takes its grip-  
  
The end of the Hilanovs- never again-  
  
Forever apocalypse."  
  
Everyone continued to stare at the screen. There was silence until applause broke it. They all turned around to see Boris, Mr. Dickenson, and Judy standing in the doorway of the cafeteria.  
  
Boris stepped over. "Formidable job. It seems you children did a fine job of decoding the prophecy yourself. Who figured it out?"  
  
The answer was unanimous: "Philemon."  
  
"You'd make a good programmer, some day, my son," Mr. Dickenson complemented.  
  
Philemon blushed slightly. "Thank you, Mr. Dickenson, sir."  
  
Once again Kai, Tala and Sarah were in Boris' office. He was discussing with them what Mr. Dickenson and Judy had said. He seemed jovial, they noticed. Things must have gone well for him.  
  
"I finally persuaded Stanley to help us. He says the BBA will provide materials that may be needed in the battles, but he won't send any reinforcement Beybladers. Only you three will fight what Goadbwa deploys, unless you can get your teams to help you. Mr. Dickenson says that he won't ask the other teams to assist, though."  
  
Tala had an overconfident expression on his face. "Hah! We won't need our teams' aide, anyway."  
  
Sarah had a blank emotion while Kai felt used. "Why are we the only ones fighting? What about our older siblings?"  
  
Boris shook his head. "I don't want them battling. They're only a last resort."  
  
Kai took offence to the comment. "Why? You like them better, don't you? You think they're stronger than we could ever be!"  
  
Boris made direct eye contact with Kai, who backed down a little. "Look, I don't like them any more than I like you, in fact, I like you three better. I have more faith in you. You're less likely to lose because of your superior Beyblading skills and aberrations!"  
  
"Aberrations..." Boris heard Sarah mumble and he knew he had let something slip.  
  
Sarah had had her head down, but now she lifted it to see Boris' grey eyes. "Yes...Our aberrations, human deformities...What we are and what we aren't..."  
  
Tala glanced at Kai. "Human deformities? What do you mean? I know that I'm a cyborg, if that's what you mean...But what about you and Kai?"  
  
Boris didn't reply, waiting and dreading for what Sarah had to say. "Yes, you're a cyborg, Tala, Kai's a syndicate human, and I've been cryogenically resurrected."  
  
Tala seemed confused while Kai seemed petrified as Boris seemed regretful. "What's that supposed to mean?" Tala questioned.  
  
Sarah glanced upward at Boris, who was shaking his head. "Should you tell or should I?"  
  
Boris stopped and walked over to the window. "You might as well."  
  
Sarah turned back to Tala and Kai. "Well, we all know what a cyborg is, right?"  
  
"A human being who is linked to one or more technical devices upon which some of his vital physiological functions depend," Tala replied cockily.  
  
Sarah gave him a puzzled look.  
  
Tala lifted his head slightly and clasped his hands behind his back. "Courtesy of the Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary."  
  
Sarah slowly shifted her gaze from Tala to Kai. "Thank you...Okay, then Kai's a syndicate human, meaning that he wasn't born normally like you and I, Tala. Other people's body parts were cloned and then DNA was taken from each of them and injected into the embryo that was to be Kai."  
  
Tala turned to see the fearful look on Kai's face. His brown eyes were shrunken and sweat poured down his cheeks. He shakily lowered his head and lifted his arms to his face. He surveyed himself with trepidation. "So...wh-what you're s-saying is that these arms...aren't actually...mine? Neither are my legs, head...torso...or anything else?"  
  
Sarah continued yet with an empathetic expression. "I'm thirteen, like you two, but I was born in 1980."  
  
Tala averted his scrutiny towards Sarah. "How is that possible?"  
  
Sarah was about to reply when Boris intercepted. He wanted to tell this part. "When Sarah was first born on July 20, 1980, it was a joyous day for those in the Langley family, for me, too. She was Irina and Nigel's first child and my only niece. Her name was Celeste.  
  
"We at Biovolt loved her and pampered her well until one day she ran away from Leon, a Biovolt member. We found her outside the Abbey on the Volga riverbank. She had frozen to death after being out there for a day or so."  
  
There was a slight gasp from Kai and Tala. Boris resumed his explanation. "I carried her back to Biovolt where we had a meeting on what to do with her cadaver. Lutka, Tala and Anya's mother, suggested that she be cryogenated while we replaced her vital organs. The Langleys agreed, and so that was what we did.  
  
"During the ten years she was being cryogenated in, your older siblings were born and so were you two. We resurrected her and renamed her Sarah, and acronym for Select Cryogenic Resurrection Achieved Human."  
  
"That's 'Scrah'," Tala protested.  
  
Boris turned to face him. "We modified it. Would you like to be named Talc?"  
  
Tala hesitated and then shook his head.  
  
"Well, then, on the day she was reborn, we baptized the three of you. A special spell was cast upon you, since we had our prodigal suspicions about you then, as well. The incantation allowed immortality so long as your life force was alive. And since there were three of you, you made a perfect circle, so the only way for any of you to die was if you were all killed at exactly the same time because your life force is dependant on someone that's dependant on you."  
  
"Life force?" the three questioned in unison.  
  
"Yes. Sarah, your life force is Kai, Kai, yours is Tala, and Tala, yours is Sarah."  
  
"Is this the same with Anya, Rhea, and Samson?" asked Sarah.  
  
Boris shook his head once more. "No. You three are the only ones ever to receive the incantation."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
Boris sat back down in his chair again. "But back to why we were here... Your job is to fight Vitality Extortion tomorrow. We found Enrique, Kevin, and Eddy in the alley of Vladya Street, so we assume that's where they encountered the team. That is where you will go tomorrow to battle them, hopefully. And remember: you're alive as long as your life force is! Oh! But there is one flaw- if the three of you suffer from a mortal wound all at the same time, you will also die."  
  
What will happen in Kai, Tala, and Sarah's first encounter with Vitality Extortion? Will they win or lose? Will they be thrown into hospital like Eddy, Kevin and Enrique? What exactly is causing the three to be in the hospital, anyway? It seems to be more than a coma. Find out in the next chapter! 


	10. First Encounters

Chap Recap: The prophecy was discovered and deciphered (by Philemon), and Boris finally convinced Mr. Dickenson to help Biovolt combat Goadbwa. Sarah, Kai, and Tala found out about their aberrations and learned of the special incantation that gave them immortality.  
  
Now! Let's continue...shall we '-~?  
  
10. First Encounters  
  
"Let's see...Here's Vladya Street!" Tala said as he led Sarah and Kai into an alley of the main street.  
  
The trio stepped into the alley to find no one there. Sarah took out her Beyblade and shooter, anyway. "They may not be here right now, but they're coming...I feel it."  
  
Kai and Tala heeded her warning to ready their blades, and sure enough, they soon heard footsteps behind them. They whirled around to see Vitality Extortion standing there, though with different outfits on. Unlike the ones they had worn at the tournament, they were all black.  
  
Spica's was tight fitting. It consisted of a shirt with a high neck that exposed her midriff and was covered by gloves high on her arms. She had a belt with the Goadbwa logo on the buckle and short shorts that fanned out a little but looked more like undergarments. Her boots went up to just a few inches below her shorts.  
  
Telesto's, like Spica's, was tight. His shirt also had a high neck. It had full-length sleeves, though they were covered at his wrist because he wore trainers that went up to his wrists. He wore the Goadbwa belt at his waist and pants with boots that came up to just above his knees.  
  
Kuiper's, unlike his teammates' was slightly baggier. He had the same turtleneck but his shirt was sleeveless. He wore long armbands instead of gloves. He had full-length pants held up by the Goadbwa belt. He wore boots similar to Tala's, in that they had a limp cloth part that stuck up above the actual boot.  
  
"Battlecostumes?" Sarah asked mockingly.  
  
Telesto's scowl worsened. "At least we've something to be recognized by as warriors."  
  
"Warriors? Hah! We'll see about that!" Kai taunted as he placed his finger on his shooter's winder.  
  
Vitality Extortion and Sarah readied their shooters as Tala raised his gun and placed his finger on the trigger. As if an unspoken countdown was done, they all fired at the same time. The Beyblades flew into the middle of the glowering teams.  
  
Without the commands from their masters, the Bit Beasts went right into attacking each other, using the special moves they were known for. When Wolborg tried to use Blizzalog, Revenost used Return to counter the effects. When Doppelgost attempted to use Double-Go, Dranzer used Fire Arrow to strike and destroy the copy. When Fovular endeavoured to use Black Hole, Poltost used Invisivandal to overwhelm the siphoning force.  
  
Every time Vitality Extortion used an attack to harm Fovular, Wolborg, or Dranzer, Kai, Tala, and Sarah felt the effect. The three were on the ground like Eva and Philemon had been by the time their blades were wobbling. Tala and Kai had given up and given in, their blades rolled to a stop alongside them. Sarah was reluctant to give in.  
  
"Fovular! Don't give in! Use Black Hole again!"  
  
Telesto placed his hands akimbo and smirked at the suffering girl before him. "It's not going to work. You've tried that before. A clever girl like you should have known that. Poltost! Invisivandal!"  
  
Cement bricks broke off and were sucked into the vortex of Fovular's Black Hole. Sarah felt the pain like rocks crashing down on top of her, just as her friend, Eva had. "Now, Fovular, White Hole!"  
  
In the time it had taken for the bricks to fall and Fovular to transfer attacks, Doppelgost had ventured closer to attack with Double-Go. As Fovular exerted energy for White Hole, the bricks that had been taken in before were also exerted. They were spewed out right on top of Kuiper's blade, causing it to cease spinning. The bricks also flew out at Kuiper and Spica.  
  
The two shielded themselves, recovered and growled at Telesto. Telesto looked back with hurt innocence. "What? It was her!"  
  
Spica turned back to the battle. "Who cares! Just win this, or Gilepse'll have our heads! Revenost, attack!"  
  
Revenost quickly complied, and sent Fovular off balance. Sarah fell to the ground beside Kai and Tala, since she had been staggering to get up before. Fovular flew out of the imaginary dish and landed in front of her.  
  
Spica, who had been slightly hunched over stood erect. "Huh! Let that be a lesson to the ignominious Biovolt that in the end, Goadbwa will persist in this war!"  
  
Telesto and Spica's blades returned to them as Kuiper reached down to pick up his. Spica turned on her heel and left as the other two followed. Kai and Tala had recovered as Sarah had battled, and so they picked themselves up from the ground. They watched the Goadbwa deploys leave and once they were out of sight, they turned to Sarah who was on the ground, wincing and cringing.  
  
Tala reached down and placed his hand on her arm. "Are you okay?"  
  
Sarah glanced up at him slowly. "...Yeah...I am now."  
  
Kai picked up Dranzer and examined it. "We lost...and all because we didn't have the strength. How embarrassing...we're the chosen ones from the prophecy, and we can't win against an amateur team like Vitality Extortion."  
  
"It's not our fault," Tala said as he helped Sarah up from the ground and placed her arm around his shoulder. "We weren't exactly what I would call prepared. Besides, it's our first time, and even if Boris makes Anya, Rhea and Samson fight instead of us, I won't give in. I know that we were the chosen ones and no one is perfect, not even the prophesised ones."  
  
Kai reached for Fovular and Wolborg for Tala and Sarah. "I don't know. It just doesn't seem right..."  
  
"That's okay, Kai. Let's just get back to Biovolt, then we'll explain to Boris," Sarah said with a groan.  
  
Kai nodded and led them from the alley with Sarah hobbling along with help from Tala.  
  
"Good work. I'm impressed and actually surprised you won," congratulated Gilepse once Kuiper had made the report.  
  
"'Surprised we won'?!" Spica exclaimed with a hurt look.  
  
Gilepse had had his back turned to them and so he now whirled to face them. "Yes. Tell me...have you three heard of the Hilanov Prophecy?"  
  
"Hilanov Prophecy?" the three questioned with quizzical expressions.  
  
Gilepse turned back to the windows of his large office. "Um-hm. Well, it was something that Boris and I had heard of in our old university days together. We hadn't known exactly what it was, but the concept of finding an ancient, forgotten prophecy sounded interesting to us.  
  
"When we became older and finally graduated, we became scientists of two separate companies; Goadbwa and Biovolt. Strangely enough, we were both promoted at the same time to being the presidents of our companies while the former presidents, Voltaire and Deneb became Vice Presidents. The Enterprises and the Corporation worked closely together, not that they didn't before, and our goal was to find the Prophecy. Though, we never did.  
  
"However, we did find one of the verses to it. It went like this;  
  
"Hair of red, eyes of blue-  
  
The one that remains confident and true.  
  
Hair of blue, eyes of brown-  
  
Solemn, solitary, and rebellion-bound.  
  
Hair of brown, eyes of green-grey-  
  
The strongest of the three, though they fear to be brave.  
  
"I never forget that excerpt because ever since I first heard it, I've been searching for the people that matched those descriptions."  
  
"That description fits us, Gilepse!" Telesto exclaimed. "That also means that I'm the strongest of us all! Losers!"  
  
Spica and Kuiper turned on him. "That doesn't mean a thing, you fool!"  
  
Gilepse glanced down at them with adoring eyes like a father would. "Yes, the physical descriptions fit, but not the mentality, I'm afraid."  
  
Kuiper looked back up and away from Telesto. "Why? I'm confident and true."  
  
Telesto and Spica cast annoyed glances at him. "What are you talking about, you little wimp? You're always the pessimistic one!" Spica jeered.  
  
"Since when did you tell the truth?" Telesto added.  
  
Gilepse clasped his hands behind his back. "Though you three don't match the description, I have a feeling that I know and Boris knows the ones who do."  
  
"Who?" The three pressed.  
  
Gilepse adjusted his glasses. "Why, none other than the three you battled today. Tala always carries himself with pride and confidence, and though it may be cockiness he has, it's confidence nonetheless. It also seems that everyone can trust him, even the worst of enemies.  
  
"Kai, on the other hand, likes being separate from his team, the Bladebreakers. He's independent and doesn't appreciate the aide of others. That scowl never leaves his face and when he was young, he betrayed Boris. There's no doubt he'll do it again to anyone-friend or foe.  
  
"Last, but not least, Sarah seems rather fearful compared to Kai and Tala. She doesn't want to feel pain and she's afraid of what others think. She also fears of being emotionally hurt. Yet I sense a strong power surging inside of her. She could very well be your downfall with the determination and puissance she possesses."  
  
"Are you saying that you doubt us?" Telesto grilled.  
  
"No, he's saying that they're the chosen ones, and what's ironic is that they lost to us!" Spica mused.  
  
Vitality Extortion burst out laughing at this point, while Gilepse didn't join in on the joviality.  
  
"I'm sorry, Uncle Boris. It's my entire fault. I was the last vital link and I lost it for us," Sarah whimpered as Eva dressed her wounds.  
  
Boris paced back and forth impatiently through the infirmary. Tala, Kai, and Sarah watched him as they sat on the beds being healed. Their teams were in the room with them.  
  
Bryan looked up at Boris from the ice pack he held to Tala's head. "Maybe we should help in the next battle against Vitality Extortion?"  
  
Boris finally stopped and turned to face the boy. "You'd be willing to do that?"  
  
"Sure. If I'd make a difference."  
  
"I say they could do it themselves," Elvin vociferated as he pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning against.  
  
"I appreciate your faith, Elvin," Tala thanked. "I agree with you- we can do this on our own."  
  
Kai and Sarah glanced at him with doubtful looks. "Stop moving!" cried Tyson and Eva at the same time.  
  
"Stanley did say that if they volunteered..." they heard Boris mumble.  
  
"Even if they did help, there wouldn't be enough uniforms for them all. We only made three."  
  
Everyone turned to see Irina standing in the doorway, observing the conversation.  
  
"Mother...?" Eva heard Sarah say quietly.  
  
Boris stepped over to his sister. "You've finished the battlecostumes?"  
  
Irina simpered slightly and held up her bandaged hands. "I guess so. They'd better appreciate them!"  
  
Once Irina had led the Demolition Boys, Celestial Myriad, Bladebreakers and Boris to the main control room, she opened a closet door as they stood watching. Inside were three uniforms: red and white, blue and black, purple and grey.  
  
They had the same design. They had a high neck with a zipper like Sarah's vest. They were sleeveless like Kai's shirt and had the yellow buttons, but only on the left side. On the right side was the Biovolt logo (the "B" on Tala's shirt). There was a line along the neck where the neck ended that continued down the middle of the top. The belt had a silver buckle and two belts hanging from it (like the Demolition Boys' style). The pants were attached to the top in a full-piece uniform.  
  
Irina took each of them down to hand them to Kai, Tala, and Sarah. She gave Tala the red, Kai the blue, and Sarah the purple. "Go try them on. You know where the change rooms are."  
  
The three scrutinized the uniforms in their arms with disgust. Then they turned away towards the change rooms. The others waited with grim looks on their faces.  
  
About five minutes later, they came back with the uniforms on. They fit tightly. Irina handed them gloves and boots. They put the articles on. The gloves reached up to their mid- upper arm and had hard bulges at the wrists, probably to act as wristguards. The boots were a cross between Tala and Kai's boots. They had that high cloth part (also like Kuiper's) and had the metal strap across the foot. They had that marking down the middle of the boot like Kai's.  
  
Eva and Philemon began to snicker. Sarah scowled at them. "What is it, now?"  
  
Eva shook her head and suppressed her laugh while Philemon expressed his feelings.  
  
"You look so weird, Sarah."  
  
"Are you taunting my sister, kid?"  
  
Philemon glanced towards the doorway to see the Blade Sovereign (minus Kieran) standing there. Samson strode over to them and looked over Kai, Tala, and Sarah. "Cool costumes."  
  
Kai folded his arms. "Glad to see someone likes them."  
  
Samson noticed Irina standing to the side. "Mother. Aren't you proud of your daughter? She's the chosen one from the Prophecy and she'll save us all."  
  
"With the help from my brother and Hiwatari's, of course," Anya added as she glowered at Samson.  
  
Irina gazed quickly at Sarah and then back at Samson. She hesitated before her answer. "Yes. Of course I'm proud of her. I always have been."  
  
Rhea moved over to Boris' side. "Do want to know about that e-mail?" she asked solemnly.  
  
Boris adjusted his glasses. "Sure. What did it say?"  
  
"Voltaire knows exactly what Goadbwa's ambitions are. Should I continue in private?"  
  
Boris saw the nod from Irina and turned back to Rhea. "Uh...yes. Blade Sovereign, Kai, Tala, Sarah, come with me. The rest of you follow Irina. See if you can make enough uniforms in time for the next fight."  
  
Boris and Irina turned in different directions out of the control room with the Beybladers in tow.  
  
Boris led them to his office once again. He offered for the six to sit in chairs as he sat behind his desk. "Well, Rhea...What are Goadbwa's ambitions?"  
  
She sat erect in her chair as the others listened intently. "Voltaire says that Gilepse has found a new way to reinforce the power of the Sacred Spirits, or Bit Beasts. He says you have good reason to stop your old colleague because it's an inhumane way."  
  
Kai remembered how he saw the spirits being siphoned out of the animals down in the Biovolt labs. He wondered how different it could be. 'How much worse?'  
  
"'Inhumane'? How so?" asked Sarah.  
  
Rhea turned to Sarah. "Well..."  
  
"Instead of using animal souls, they're using those of humans!" Anya interrupted frantically.  
  
Boris' expression didn't falter while Kai, Tala, and Sarah gasped.  
  
"Human souls? I don't see how that would raise the power levels." Kai voiced.  
  
"If you could transfer them into Bit Beast form, they would be more valuable," Boris explained.  
  
"But that would mean they need humans to siphon the souls from, right? I mean, they can't just go to the nearest graveyard and dig someone up, the person would have to be alive." Tala tried to clarify.  
  
Samson leaned back in his chair. "Exactly. I'd hate to be the soul donatee. Voltaire doesn't know how they'll do it, but you can wager that however they plan to do it, it won't be pleasant."  
  
Sarah, who had had her head down deep in thought until now, looked up. "Now I get it...I have a theory as to why we were hurt when our Beyblades were as we battled Vitality Extortion! Their Bit Beasts must be of human souls, the ghosts of perished human souls, and we are feeling their pain because we are the same creatures."  
  
"But then why doesn't Vitality Extortion feel the effects?" Kai queried, responding to Sarah's theory.  
  
"Three possibilities: they're not human, they're too cold-hearted, or simply, they're the masters. And you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth."  
  
"That's all very interesting, but my question is, whose souls did they use?" Tala said.  
  
There was a pause after which Boris replied. "I've no idea, but you three realize that by fighting Vitality Extortion, you risk losing your souls?"  
  
Kai, Tala, and Sarah looked up at him, slight fear on their faces.  
  
"All Bit Beasts have the ability to take the soul from a person. The souls they steal are taken to the Soul Realm, while the body the soul belongs to is technically 'dead'. It doesn't breathe, there's no heartbeat, it doesn't need to be fed nor does it need to drink. This dormant state is what I think happened to Kevin, Eddy and Enrique. Their souls were taken by Vitality Extortion. The bodies will lie there, immobile, until its soul or another is returned to it. But no soul can enter a body if the body is really and truly dead.  
  
"Souls that die within the body are like normal souls, the souls that no one knows what happens to when you die. Souls that are taken and then the body dies are free to return to possess the bodies of others. Though not every one does this, there are some spirits notorious for doing this. They are evil at heart and often seek revenge against a particular family name, possessing one at an early age and then vowing to make them commit suicide at a specific age. The bad thing about that is that the spirit often leaves the body just before death, allowing only the actual soul of the person to perish. One ghost I've heard of is the Crucis ghost. It's out for the Hiwatari family, I've been told."  
  
Tala and Anya eyed Kai and Rhea suspiciously. "Is there any way that we can tell if they're possessed?" Anya questioned.  
  
Boris shook his head. "No, I'm afraid. So I have no idea if either one of you are affected. I'd hope not because that would impair you in your battles. It's not like we can ask. I doubt the Crucis ghost would respond and admit to it."  
  
Rhea answered that question almost immediately, though she felt it wasn't her answering. "No, Boris, sir. Why would it?" The one that answered was something else.  
  
So, what do you think will happen? What is the thing that Rhea knows isn't her? Will Eddy, Enrique, and Kevin have their souls returned? Will Kai, Tala, and Sarah have their souls taken? Will they win the next battle and will their teams help them to do so? Questions, questions! If I'm driving you crazy with the suspense, it's not my fault. You'll just have to be patient! 


	11. Second Helpings

Chap Recap: It was a big explanatory chapter, so if you didn't read it, don't blame me if you don't understand the following chapters.  
  
11. Second Helpings  
  
"Dragoon Phantom Hurricane attack!" Tyson yelled.  
  
Huge winds picked up and a cyclone formed within the dish. They all protected themselves from the zephyr.  
  
"Poltost! Invisivandal!" Telesto yelled back.  
  
Bricks began to fall from the sides of the buildings in the alley.  
  
"Look away, guys. Pegusar! Quasar!" Eva commanded.  
  
The intense light blinded Vitality Extortion and their Bit Beasts. Poltost couldn't see where to throw the heavy rocks, so they went flying into the air, all while the hurricane was going on. The rocks were whipped around and thrown in every direction with no regard for who the blader was.  
  
Kai, Tala, and Sarah were back at battling Vitality Extortion in the back alleys, only this time Tyson, Eva, and Bryan had tagged along. They were all wearing their uniforms. Eva's was purple and green, Tyson's was blue and orange, and Bryan's was red and dark blue. They were the only ones to finish making their uniforms.  
  
"Now, Wolborg, Blizzalog!" Tala ordered, expanding on Eva's initial attack.  
  
While Vitality Extortion was preoccupied with regaining their vision, cold winds blew to engulf them in a parallel universe of ice and snow. Spica was the first to notice this, and was about to use Revenost's Return attack, when Bryan intercepted and distracted her.  
  
"Use Stroblitz, Falborg!"  
  
Falborg began to use the air to attack Spica as the hurricane dissipated. Spica was still in pain, though. Kuiper and Telesto watched her suffer, not knowing what to do. They were busy paying attention her instead of the battle. "What are you doing, you fools? Defeat them!" she shrieked through the air that cut at her uniform and body.  
  
Sarah turned to Bryan. "I think she's learned her lesson." Bryan nodded and commanded Falborg to cease its onslaught.  
  
Spica didn't get up, though. Her Revenost had taken enough battering by the sub-zero temperatures and spun to a stop beside her.  
  
"That's one down and two to go!" exclaimed Tyson. "We're in the lead, guys!"  
  
Kuiper ordered for Doppelgost to use Double-Go. It did so, making up for Spica's lost blade. Kuiper glanced sideways at Telesto and mumbled, "Eva."  
  
Telesto nodded and told Poltost to follow the Doppelgosts across the dish towards Eva's Pegusar. The three blades came in from all sides, hitting consistently. The Biovolt blades tried to knock them off balance or distract them, but it was no use. Meanwhile, Eva was in excruciating pain. Sarah tried to support her while watching what was going on. Then, she had an idea. "Fovular! Black Hole!"  
  
The Doppelgosts and Poltost were drawn closer to Fovular by the black force, but managed to pull away with much struggle. One of the Doppelgosts flew out of the field and straight at Pegusar, knocking it out.  
  
Eva was now in the worst possible condition. "We need to do something. If she stays here she'll freeze. Who knows how weak she is by now," Kai voiced.  
  
Tala tried to analyze the situation. "But she can't just run away. My Wolborg's Blizzalog won't allow her to. One side'll have to win."  
  
"Unless we can melt this frozen world somehow?" Sarah suggested.  
  
"I'm fine..." Eva mumbled.  
  
Sarah glanced down at her friend and then back at Tala, taking no notice of her.  
  
Tala nodded and looked at Kai. "Tell Dranzer to use one of its fire attacks."  
  
"I'm fine!" Eva repeated, louder and more irritated.  
  
Sarah jerked Eva's arm a little. "No you're not! Look at yourself! You can barely speak, let alone keep your eyes open! Kai!"  
  
"Right. Dranzer! Use Fire Arrow on the walls of this enclosure!"  
  
Dranzer flew out of the dish and flew spin gear-first against the wall behind the Biovolt deploys. A fire emanated from the bottom and on contact burned through the ice. The ice cage flickered and disappeared, revealing the alley once more.  
  
The Biovolt deploys observed the street outside of the alley. "Eva can't make it back to the Abbey by herself," mentioned Sarah.  
  
Bryan called his blade back just as Poltost and Doppelgost were about to collide with it. "I'll take her."  
  
Bryan stuffed his blade into his pocket and rushed over to Eva and Sarah. He carried Eva in a fireman's lift and with a wave, departed. Eva let out a desperate, angered groan. Tyson, Kai, Tala, and Sarah turned back to the battle to see that Dragoon was being ganged up on by Poltost and Doppelgost. Tyson was now feeling the pain, too. "Ugh! Now I know what extreme pain feels like!"  
  
"Hang on, Tyson!" Sarah exclaimed. "White Hole!"  
  
"Wolborg! Attack by feeding off that power!"  
  
Fovular once again created the exerted gravitational field, while Wolborg drew close and was shot away, knocking the decoy Doppelgost into oblivion. The decoy Doppelgost in turn knocked the actual Doppelgost off balance. As if in a chain reaction, the actual Doppelgost also knocked Dragoon out. Though Tyson had lost, his pain had ceased.  
  
In a risky suicidal attempt, Telesto could see he was the only one left of the Goadbwa deploys and told Poltost to use Invisivandal to break the buildings. The bricks came down, burying all four survivor blades and destroying their spin- a tie on both sides.  
  
"Oh my!" Mr. Dickenson exclaimed once Boris had finished explaining Goadbwa's plans. "That is frightening."  
  
"When you put it that way, I think we should reconsider helping Biovolt, especially since this is mundane-threatening. Don't you think that way, Stanley?" Judy suggested.  
  
Mr. Dickenson looked up at the BBA's Head Scientist. "Yes. I'm willing to fully aide you, now, Boris. Forgive me for my naivety before."  
  
Boris bowed before Mr. Dickenson. "No offence taken, sir."  
  
He looked up as he heard the front gate creak open and footsteps enter. "You're back? How'd the battle go?"  
  
Bryan was still holding a near unconscious Eva. "It was a tie."  
  
Boris raised his head modestly. "Well it's better than last time's turnout, I guess."  
  
Tyson gestured to Eva on Bryan's back. "What do we do with her?"  
  
"Oh dear! Is she okay? What happened to her?" Lutka exclaimed as she rushed out through main doors and into the courtyard where everyone else was. Kieran sauntered out slowly from behind her, hands in his pant pockets.  
  
Bryan eased Eva off his back and into Lutka's arms. "Vitality Extortion ganged up on her."  
  
Lutka examined Eva's pained features before turning to rush back inside. She rushed past a rather confused yet nonchalant Kieran.  
  
Bryan turned as he heard Sarah say something. "Why don't you go check up on her, Bryan?"  
  
Bryan hesitated. 'Does she know about my feelings for Eva? If she doesn't and is just making assumptions, it would be best to keep it that way. Might as well go check up on her, anyway.' "Uh...yeah." He walked inside after Lutka and Eva.  
  
Kieran watched Bryan and simpered. 'Watch out, sis. You've got an admirer...'  
  
Gilepse stood in the Goadbwa control room test facilities waiting for Kuiper, Telesto, and Kuiper to return. "They lost. How embarrassing."  
  
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but they didn't actually lose, did they?"  
  
Gilepse whirled around and unclasped his hands. He saw a plump, elderly man stride up to him. The man had long grey hair and dark brown eyes. He wore a long grey trenchcoat and black boots. "Deneb! How nice it is to see you."  
  
Gilepse harried to the man's side. He placed his hand on his shoulder as Deneb scowled suspiciously up at him. "Is there anything I can do for you, Deneb, sir?"  
  
Deneb slipped from Gilepse's friendly grasp and stepped over to the glass of the test facilities. "No. I simply came to check in on how your team, Vitality Extortion is doing."  
  
Gilepse lost the amiable personality and reclasped his hands as he walked over to Deneb's side. "They're doing fine. They won their first battle against Biovolt. Though on-"  
  
"I know that," Deneb interrupted.  
  
Gilepse backed off slightly but didn't respond.  
  
"Gilepse!"  
  
The two men turned to see Vitality Extortion walk through the doors of the testing facilities' control room.  
  
Telesto was the first to walk in, leading Kuiper with Spica in. "Oh. Hello Deneb."  
  
Deneb didn't acknowledge the salutation.  
  
Gilepse glanced from Deneb to Spica. "Goodness! Spica! What did you do to yourself?!"  
  
Spica's eyes flickered open as she glared at him. "Those little hoydens attacked me. First Eva blinded me, then Tala froze me half to death and then Bryan attacked me with some invisible force."  
  
Telesto folded his arms and glowered at her. "Quit complaining. They harmed us, too."  
  
"Yeah? Well not as badly!" Spica snapped.  
  
"Stop fighting! Kuiper, take Spica to the infirmary. Telesto, get to the training rooms. Failure is not acceptable and I will not allow you to be defeated again," adjured Gilepse.  
  
The two continued to leer as they parted ways. Gilepse threw a hand to his forehead and shook his head.  
  
"You should learn to control them, Gilepse. Boris does." Deneb criticized.  
  
Gilepse turned around and growled slightly. "Let's leave my asinine colleague out of this, please."  
  
Deneb didn't reply.  
  
"Surely you have something else to say?" Gilepse pressed after an impatient pause.  
  
Deneb shook his head slowly. He strained to see behind Gilepse who turned as the doors behind him swung open. A woman with blonde hair tied up in a bun and green eyes walked in. She had a lab coat on and clipboard in hand.  
  
Gilepse outstretched his arms in a friendly gesture. "Ophelia! What new status reports do you have?"  
  
Just as everyone else, she didn't accept his humour. "Boris just phoned. He suggests a battle at Lake Baikal next."  
  
"Oh. Ostentatious, isn't he? Did he ask my opinion?"  
  
'Why would he?' thought Ophelia. "No."  
  
"Is it a definite battle or do you mean that literally?"  
  
Ophelia placed her right hand on her hip as she held the clipboard in her left. "I have no idea. He just seemed angry."  
  
"Angry? Now why would Boris be angry?"  
  
"Gee...I wonder...If he harmed some of your top-rate deploys wouldn't you be kind of vexed?" Ophelia asked flatly and with sarcasm.  
  
Gilepse was now infuriated. 'What's wrong with everyone? They're treating me like I'm an irritating simpleton!'  
  
"You're mission is to stop Goadbwa from stealing the souls of others. As you can see in the examples of Eddy, Kevin, and Enrique, this is quite a serious matter," Mr. Dickenson explained to all of the Beyblading teams.  
  
The six the teams stood erect and in a line, though none of the teams were complete. From the Bladebreakers, Kai and Tyson were missing. From the White Tigers, Kevin was absent. From the All Starz, Eddy was no where in sight. From the Majestics, Enrique was the missing link. The Demolition Boys were without Tala and Bryan while the Celestial Myriad only had Philemon and Elvin there. Ray had now fully healed from his battle with Bryan, though Mariah still stuck like glue to his side.  
  
Judy, George Tate, Derek Granger, and another man stood beside Mr. Dickenson. Both of them were taller. The other man no other team knew except the All Starz. He had light brown hair that was beginning to bald, a moustache and beard. He had bluish grey eyes. He wore a dark green golf shirt and dark blue jeans held up by a brown belt with gold buckle. He had black running shoes and a lab coat.  
  
Mr. Dickenson turned up to them. "I trust you'll know what to do with the Biovolt equipment, my Head Scientist and Head Programmer?"  
  
Judy and the man nodded in unison. "Do we have assistants?" Judy mused.  
  
Mr. Dickenson returned the smile. "Who do you think is of the proper material?"  
  
The man observed up and down the line. "I'd say Emily, definitely. Also the kid that's the technical manager of the Bladebreakers?"  
  
Kenny stepped out of line, extremely excited. His laptop was tucked under his arm. "That would be me, Kenny, sir."  
  
"Father!"  
  
Everyone turned to see Sarah burst out through the doorway and into the main door's hall. Kai, Tala, Boris, Irina, Samson, Anya, and Rhea followed shortly after. Sarah stepped up to the man.  
  
"Sarah. How is your training coming?" the man asked.  
  
Sarah simpered. "Excellent!"  
  
The man looked up to see his wife and son. "Samson. Irina. How nice to see you again!"  
  
Samson strode briskly up to him. "Dad. Hey."  
  
Irina didn't move her hands clasped in front of her nor did she move closer, but remained nestled xenophobically beside Boris. "Yes. A true pleasure, Nigel."  
  
"Why don't we go to the cafeteria, everyone. We can sit down, introduce ourselves and discuss this whole quandary. There's also more room," Boris suggested.  
  
They all obliged.  
  
A silence lay over Biovolt Abbey. It was nighttime. Sarah awoke groggily. She sat up in her bed of the dormitory. She looked around to see that she was the only one in there. Tala and Kai, who were supposed to be sharing the room with, were no where in sight. Their beddings were messed up as if they'd left in a hurry.  
  
She got up and out of bed. She smoothed out her messed hair slightly and left the room in search of them. 'I'm awake. Might as well, seeing as I won't get back to sleep.'  
  
"We'll win this. There's no doubt about it, Kai," Tala said.  
  
"How can you say that with such confidence?" Kai asked gravely as he glanced up at Tala who stood in front of him.  
  
Tala hesitated. A cool night breeze blew past and chilled the both of them to the bone. "I can say it with confidence because I know that it's not just confidence." He paused and turned around to face Kai. "It's fate."  
  
Kai continued to glare at him. "Fate...?"  
  
Tala looked away as if ashamed towards the water. "Yeah. We're the prophesied ones, in case you've forgotten."  
  
There was a hiatus as neither one of them spoke, Kai sitting on the stone ledge glaring at Tala and Tala looking out across the pond waters. Lights from the Abbey flickered against their backs.  
  
"So...How is it to see Sarah again for you?" Tala asked, breaking the silence.  
  
Kai had had his head down but now looked up at him. "I dunno..."  
  
"She doesn't mean all that much to you, then?"  
  
Kai scowled even more and turned his head away in disgust. "I gave you my answer. Besides, why are you so interested, anyway?"  
  
Tala folded his arms. "Calm down! I was just asking. Sorry! But how was I supposed to know you were so sensitive?"  
  
"You entered her in the conversation. Maybe it's you who's sensitive. About her!" Kai snapped.  
  
Tala unfolded his arms and made a defensive stance. "What are you talking about?! Boris wouldn't allow such a waste of time. Huh! Imagine that! Me having feelings for Sarah!"  
  
"You lie through your teeth. Just like you said the Demolition Boys would win the tournament without my help, and look who won."  
  
Tala was beginning to advance on Kai, extremely irritated. "That doesn't mean anything!"  
  
Kai grinned with assurance of the upper hand. "You don't mean a word you say. You can't prove your claimed apathy for her, can you?"  
  
Tala stood up straight and glared at Kai with a look of contempt on his face. 'He's right...How do I work my way out of this one?'  
  
"Oh! Isn't that just pulchritudinous?"  
  
Kai and Tala glanced up to see Sarah standing there in her night garments and robe looking out across the water. She had just come from around the side of the Abbey. She turned to face them and noticed that they were both as red as Tala's hair in the illumination of the Abbey. "Hey. You two were out here all the time? Why didn't you tell me? I've been busy looking for you."  
  
Tala laughed dryly while hunched over Kai slightly. "Heh... Well, we... uh..."  
  
Kai stood up, forcing Tala out of the way. "We couldn't get to sleep."  
  
Tala stood erect and clasped his hands behind his back innocently. "Yeah. What he said."  
  
Sarah eyed the two suspiciously. "Okay..."  
  
Kai stepped over to Sarah's side. He folded his arms and gazed across the water with her. "What is it that's so beautiful?"  
  
Sarah simpered as she cast a quick glance at Kai and then pointed at the sky. "The stars and moon."  
  
Kai shifted his gaze from the glistening waters to the black star- strewn sky. There was a slight look of surprise on his face. It truly was beautiful. The wafer-thin moon was surrounded by stars-stars of different colours when you looked closely. Like Sarah's eyes. The stars were also of different sizes.  
  
"I couldn't agree on a lovelier sight," said Tala as he came up on Sarah's other side.  
  
The three stared up at the heavens until Kai and Tala felt the sudden urge to say something to her. They both gazed down and turned their heads towards her just as she walked away and towards the water, leaving the two to glare in bewilderment at each other.  
  
Sarah walked to the edge of the water and crouched down. She took one of her hands away from holding her robe closed and reached in to the water. The two boys watched as she swirled it through the shallows slowly.  
  
Tala turned back to Kai and glowered viciously. "Don't get in my way!" he whispered with anger.  
  
Kai observed him a moment with confusion before narrowing his eyes and lifting his head slightly.  
  
Tala sauntered with his hands at his sides over to Sarah. He stood beside her at the water's edge. He looked down at her gyrating hand and the swirls it created in the water. "What are you doing?"  
  
Sarah took her hand out and shook it to relieve it of the water. "The water's cold."  
  
"We're in Russia. It should be."  
  
Sarah got back up and stood straight. "Not with global warming these days."  
  
There was a long pause.  
  
"You know... If we humans just took a little consideration about how our actions will affect others, we probably wouldn't be in the mess we are today. Humans are such inconsiderate creatures. It almost makes me sad to be one, sometimes," Sarah cited. With that, she turned and left. She disappeared around the side of the Abbey.  
  
Kai and Tala ogled with mystification. After a moment, Kai stepped closer to Tala. He placed his hands in his pockets and contemplated the waters. "She's right."  
  
Tala finally turned back from where Sarah had disappeared from eyeshot. "She's never been wrong about the aspects of the human psyche."  
  
"But despite what the human race deserves, I vow to save them just the same."  
  
"Ditto. Everyone gets a second chance. It's the way God functions."  
  
Kai glanced at Tala, who was about the same height as him. The two were at eye level. "Boris keep injecting religion into those heads of yours?"  
  
Tala nodded as he smiled and chuckled a little. He turned his head away from the waters and towards Kai. "It's the way Boris functions."  
  
"So I guess we call it a truss over Sarah?"  
  
"Huh. Guess so. But remember; neither one has won yet, so she's still up for grabs!"  
  
"You talk about her like she's some sort of prize."  
  
"Well, she is. To both of us, I'm sure, and in the upcoming battles I'll do my best to protect her. There's something...about her...that tells me she's more important in the grand scheme of this war than the two of us."  
  
The two boys glared at each other, scowling at first, but then those scowls became smiles and slight chuckles. They were finally able to get along with each other, and little did they know how much learning to tolerate and co-operate with one another would be in the future.  
  
Review, people. Thank you and have a nice day. 


	12. Third Time's The Charm

YEAH! More reviews! I could kiss you people! Yuck! On second thought...  
  
12. Third Time's The Charm  
  
"Here it is. Lake Baikal," informed Boris as the helicopter began its descent.  
  
With huge gusts of wind, the helicopter touched down on the ice and came to rest, its mighty blades still spinning and causing everyone's hair to be whipped about as they stepped out. Tala was first to jump out. He landed in a crouching position from the rather large leap and pushed himself to stand erect. Kai vaulted from the ledge in much the same way, landing beside the surveying Tala. Kai turned around and extended a hand to help Sarah down. She gave her hand to him and hopped down. All the others followed soon after.  
  
Once the last person, Oliver, had exited the helicopter, Boris moved towards the edge of the ledge. He observed the area around the ice before turning to look down at the Biovolt deploys. They all stood in one rather large throng: Ray, Max, Mariah, Lee, Gary, Michael, Steve, Robert, Oliver, Johnny, Spencer, Ian, Elvin, Philemon, Eva, Tyson, Bryan, Kai, Tala, and Sarah. Boris glared at them a moment and then began to speak- for they were awaiting his orders. "Vitality Extortion should be here any minute now. You should have not too many fears of being injured extremely badly, for those suits you're wearing should protect you quite well."  
  
They all looked down at their battle costumes (except for the Majestics, for they had their armoured battlecostumes), each of a different colour (with the exception of Kai, Tyson, Tala, Bryan, Sarah and Eva (you know their colours already)). Ray's was white with yellow striping. Max's main colour was turquoise with roan red striping. (The first colour will be the main colour and the second's the striping) Mariah's was pink and white, Lee's was dark blue with red, Gary's was yellow with turquoise, Michael's was orange with blue, Steve's was light green with black, Spencer's was gold with light green, Ian's was grey with light blue, Elvin's was black with light blue, and Philemon's was maroon with gold.  
  
Boris placed his hand on the helicopter door, poised to slam it shut. "I have business to attend to at Biovolt now, but once the battle's over, we'll send the copter once again to come and pick you up."  
  
He was about to close it when Michael intercepted him. "How will you know when that is, though?"  
  
Kenny stood up from behind Boris, laptop clutched to his chest. "I can see on my laptop which projects the images from-"  
  
"Now, now, don't let them know our little secret, Kenny," Boris warned. He glanced back at the Biovolt deploys. "Fight to win. Victory is light, defeat to your enemies. And remember, it's Kevin's, Enrique's, and Eddy's souls you're fighting for. You don't want to let them down, now do you?" With that, Boris slammed the door and the helicopter began to ascend into the endless blue sky.  
  
All of them stared with blank looks as it disappeared into the distance.  
  
"He's right...We're fighting for you, Kevin," Mariah mumbled.  
  
"And Eddy," Michael added.  
  
"We won't let you down, Enrique," Johnny vowed.  
  
"I suggest that you reconsider your pledge, McGreggor. Their souls will come of more use to Goadbwa than them."  
  
Johnny whipped around along with everyone else. There stood Vitality Extortion, black battlecostumes and all. And this time, they had brought reinforcements. There were about a dozen other Goadbwa deploys, all males with eyes in shadow from black sunglasses. They looked like a band of burglars, with their black toques, baggy long-sleeved shirts, baggy full- length pants, black boots, and trainers on their hands. They also had mini headsets, of course of the matching black.  
  
Spica continued after an observation of each other from the opposing groups. "Nice costumes-I must compliment you again. I also see that you have a larger combat force than last time, Hilanovs."  
  
"How does she know about the Prophecy?" Sarah whispered to Kai.  
  
Kai turned his head to the left to look at her and then back at Vitality Extortion. "Gilepse must've told 'em."  
  
"So what if we do? Is that against the rules or something? Because all's fair in love and war, and this is most definitely war!" Tala exclaimed.  
  
Telesto's smirk only widened. "Oh it is, is it? Well, you may have won the last battle, but we'll win the war!"  
  
Eva folded her arms. "We didn't win the last battle. It was a tie."  
  
Telesto's face went blank.  
  
"What's the matter, child? Cat got your tongue?"  
  
Telesto regained his composure. "I'm not 'child' - Telesto Cibaru is my name."  
  
"Look, have you come to battle or to flaunt what little intelligence you have?" Kai pressed, impatient. "'Cause I've got better things to do with my time than with your fatuous trio, Cibaru."  
  
"What?!" Spica exclaimed in offence.  
  
Kuiper placed his hand on Spica's angered shoulder. "Calm down." He turned to the Biovolt deploys. "Well, then Hiwatari...At least let us share our surnames. Wouldn't you want to know ours since we know yours?"  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes as he glared at Kuiper. "Not really. It wouldn't concern me. Besides, we weren't the ones that told you our surnames."  
  
Kuiper took his hand away from Spica. "Hmph. I'm telling you, anyway. Telesto Cibaru, Spica Hyakutake, and Kuiper Varuna."  
  
"Who cares? It's time to take their souls! Just as Gilepse ordered!" Spica cried as she fired her blade that she had pulled out as Kuiper was speaking. She aimed it at Kai, who blocked himself as her blade ricocheted off the blue glove of his arm.  
  
Kai immediately reached for his blade and shot it in the direction of where Spica's blade went. The blue and black blades took off in one direction as Spica and Kai chased after their battle across the ice.  
  
Tala heard the sound of another blade spinning. He glanced down at his feet. A white blade spun there- a challenge from Kuiper. Tala looked up at him. The two locked eyes and glowered at each other as Tala reached for his pistol shooter. Tala shot the gun behind Kuiper as Kuiper turned in pursuit of it.  
  
Telesto turned to Sarah. "That leaves you and me, then, doesn't it?"  
  
Sarah scowled. "No it doesn't. I could battle any one of the other Goadbwa deploys and one of my friends could battle you."  
  
Telesto folded his arms. "Now why would you want to do that? A person of your calibre and skill would gain nothing from battling them. They're inexperienced half-wits. Best leave them to your inexperienced friends, that way they stand a chance against each other. This may be the one battle that they actually win-without a handicap."  
  
"Grr! That's it! Sarah, step aside! This is my fight. All right! It's you and me, Telesto!" Tyson yelled.  
  
Max and Ray grabbed the struggling Tyson's arms. "Tyson! Cool it!" Ray shouted.  
  
"Yeah! It's not worth it! You wouldn't stand a chance against Kuiper!" Max added.  
  
Tyson ceased resisting. "Oh yeah? Well what was I doing the other day battling him?"  
  
Ray put his hands up in a gesture of reason. "That was with the help of Kai, Tala, and Sarah. You weren't battling by yourself. And even then, you only tied by the skin of your teeth."  
  
Tyson growled again. "Ugh... Teach him a lesson he won't forget, Sarah."  
  
Sarah made a fist as she glanced back at him. "Right. Will do. Ah! Hey!"  
  
Telesto hadn't waited for her to make her promises. He had fired his blade at her chest, aiming for her heart. His Beyblade flew away and to his side. Sarah swiftly threw her hand to her chest and pulled it away a moment or two later to reveal a small laceration to her uniform that was bloodstained.  
  
The Biovolt and BBA deploys all made a small gasp. Sarah clenched her teeth and shifted her glower from her newly formed wound to Telesto's nonchalant face. She glanced at her purplish-red glove and made a determined fist once more. Blood. Something she had never seen before in this context - mostly because she had never been in an actual battle. You could tell from the looks on the others' faces that they had never seen such violence, either.  
  
Taking her bloody hand, she reached for her shooter slowly. She pulled it up in front of her and pointed it straight at Telesto. "Okay, Cibaru. So that's how you want to play, eh? Adding gore and carnage is what you want to do. Well let me tell you: it won't be my blood changing the ice's colour."  
  
With that, she pulled the winder with more will and purpose than she ever had before. It grazed Telesto's arm, shearing the tough fabric and his skin. He threw his right hand to his left arm and winced from the pain.  
  
He took his hand away gradually and examined it. The crimson colour that poured from it coated his right hand. He looked back up at Sarah who stood there in determination. She glared at him with one hand on her hip and the other hanging loosely at her side. She looked daunting, almost oblivious now of the blood that trailed down her uniform. Telesto broke the silence. "Huh! Grr... You'll pay for this, Langley!"  
  
Sarah raised her head and lowered her gaze to make direct eye contact with him. "Oh, I will, will I?"  
  
Telesto stood up straight. "Oh yeah!" He ran after the two blades and the battle.  
  
Sarah took a step forward and then stopped. She turned to face the Biovolt deploys. "Eva, Tyson, Bryan, Mariah, and Oliver- you're the backup if the others need help to fight the Goadbwa deploys. The rest of you, choose a Goadbwa deploy to battle!"  
  
She turned again and ran in pursuit of Telesto. The Biovolt deploys didn't move. They were afraid after realizing the bloodshed that could possibly occur during the battle. Goadbwa meant business- playtime was over.  
  
As if on cue, the black dressed Goadbwa deploys raised their arms with shooters and Beyblades fitted in to them. In synchronization, they all fired at the same time. Their Beyblades landed at the feet of Ray, Max, Lee, Gary, Michael, Steve, Johnny, Robert, Spencer, Ian, Elvin, and Philemon; the challenge.  
  
Elvin raised his shooter and blade while the others hesitated to watch, still fearful. He shot the blade and took off after it across the ice, the man the Goadbwa blade belonged to following. "Remember our cause!" Elvin yelled as he fled to the edge of the ice.  
  
They continued to stare at the blades at their feet before Robert took his blackjack in hand. "Elvin's right. I'm willing to die honourably, if it will aid our friends Enrique, Kevin, and Eddy."  
  
He brought the blackjack down on the ground and his blade shot across the ice. Armour clanking, he sprinted across the frigid terrain along with the other man. Lee readied his blade and shot it in a different direction. "I agree with Robert and Elvin. Though we may not be included in the Prophecy, we can still play a part in the salvation of the world!" He made off quickly after his blade and the man.  
  
Michael threw his baseball. "Yeah! Goadbwa's going down in flames!"  
  
The rest of them studied their blades a moment before doing the same as Elvin, Robert, Lee, and Michael had. All except for Bryan, Tyson, Mariah, Eva, and Oliver, of course.  
  
"Be careful, everyone!" Eva and Mariah called with worried looks.  
  
"Especially you, Ray!" Mariah added. Eva glanced at her with a disgusted look.  
  
"It ain't gonna work, Hiwatari! You're done for, again!" Spica taunted.  
  
"How can you be so sure of yourself when you're the one who's wobbling-already? And why am I necessarily 'Hiwatari'? I have a sister, too, you know," Kai countered.  
  
Spica straightened up. "Oh. You do, do you? Oh yes...of course...now I remember. Gilepse told us that. Her name's Rhea, isn't it? And it's Anya Romanov and Samson Langley. Am I right or am I right?"  
  
Kai lowered his head but didn't answer.  
  
"I am right, aren't I? Come on, admit it, boy."  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes. "You're right."  
  
Spica smirked heinously. "I knew I was. I'm never wrong, including when I say that I'll win this battle. Revenost, Return!"  
  
Revenost used Return, restoring its full spin from a meagre wobble.  
  
"Dranzer, Fire Arrow!" Kai commanded. Dranzer swiftly obeyed, and flew into the air, then came crashing down on top of Spica's blade, knocking it off balance once more. Spica ordered for Revenost to use Return once more, renewing the lost energy.  
  
"Resistance is futile, my dear Kai. No matter how badly you damage my wobble, as long as I'm still spinning I can recover. And don't get any ideas about K.O.-ing me, 'cause you won't be able to do that. I'm just too strong for poor wittle Kai," she said cockily as she imitated a young child's voice. She cackled shrilly.  
  
"Come on Dranzer, don't listen to that empty-headed fool. Attack with all you've got. You never let me down before and now's not the time to start!" Kai exclaimed.  
  
Dranzer took a charge at Revenost, but Revenost spun out of the way and backlashed against it. Dranzer flew off to the side, wobbling violently. "No! Dranzer!" Kai cried.  
  
"Moel-heal Dranzer with Charge."  
  
A lightning bolt came out of seemingly nowhere and struck Kai's Dranzer. The yellow electric current surged around Dranzer for a moment or two and then dissipated. Dranzer spun as if it had just left the shooter. Kai and Spica looked upwards in surprise to see a helicopter descending to hover about 100 metres up. A rope ladder trailed from the copter which Rhea, Samson, Anya, and Kieran clung to.  
  
Kai contemplated them with wonder. "The Blade Sovereign..." He noticed that they had uniforms, too, but their uniforms were different from everyone else's.  
  
They had tight-fitting full-body suits as a basic layer. Each had black stripes under the arms, down the torso, around the wrists and down the outer sides of the legs. On Samson's, the rest of the suit was orchid purple. Anya's was a ruby red. Rhea's was of a cerulean blue while Kaoru's was a navy blue. On top of that they wore a black vest that had a high neck and went down to the bottom of their rib cage. It had a slit at the bottom, contouring the curves of their rib cages and exposing the stomachs of their suits. The black vests had lining along the shoulder holes, the bottom along the ribcage (except the indent) and the neck. Samson's was a bright green, Anya's was an orangy-yellow, Rhea's was white, and Kieran's was red. The vest, like the other uniforms had Kai's button style on the right and the Biovolt logo on the left. They had black belts with the silver buckle and two belts attached to it like the Demolition Boys' style. Samson's hanging belts were green, Anya's the orangy-yellow, Rhea's the white, and Kieran's the red. They also wore black knee-high boots.  
  
The ladder hung just above the ice and Rhea, who had been at the bottom, let go and jumped on to the ice. She pointed to Spica. "My brother shall not lose to the likes of you. Not if I can help it." Even though someone in this situation should have been yelling with determination, Rhea wasn't doing that. As always, she lacked expression in her vocal and facial features. Her eyes were full of that same wan and daze.  
  
"Rhea...?" Kai questioned quietly.  
  
Rhea glanced downward with a slight scowl on her face. "Yes?"  
  
Kai straightened up a little, feeling estranged from her. "Uh...Thanks..."  
  
A minuscule smile crept ever so slowly across Rhea's lips. "No problem, little brother."  
  
"You know-it's weird-I mean battling against a cyborg and all."  
  
"No. I wouldn't," Tala quipped. He face was screwed up with a look of determination as he faced Kuiper.  
  
Wolborg and Doppelgost came together in the middle with a collision that sent both flying backwards. Kuiper began to brag and distract again. "Of course you wouldn't - you're the cyborg."  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" Tala growled.  
  
Kuiper placed his hands akimbo and leant backwards a little. "So...How does it feel, my robotic friend?"  
  
"Oh yeah...It fells great being a cyborg and all. Being controlled and given nutrition by means of prosthetic umbilical cord is just so cool! I have a whole arsenal of weaponry in this arm right here. Want to see?" Tala asked, voice potent with sarcasm as he held up his right arm.  
  
Kuiper cocked his head to one side with a skeptical look. "Sure. Shoot me down right here."  
  
Tala narrowed his eyes. "Sure. But why don't I let Wolborg demonstrate? Wolborg, Attack!"  
  
"Team up with Wolborg, Molphin!"  
  
Tala looked in surprise to his right. Once he saw the one that had made that high-pitched, irritating voice, his expression went from surprise to disgust and annoyance. "When did you get here?! Go away. I don't need your help."  
  
"Now, now...That's no way to treat your favourite older sister, now is it, Tala?" Anya scolded with a look of mock innocence.  
  
Tala sighed and rolled his eyes as Kuiper laughed. "What kind of a chosen, prophesied warrior has their sister to help them?"  
  
Tala glanced at Anya again. He surveyed her uniform. It looked more interesting than his. He looked across the ice to see the rest of the Blade Sovereign. Rhea was helping Kai to fight Spica at the far edge. Kieran and Samson were running across the ice, probably searching for their sisters. Tala turned to Anya again and then to Kuiper. "I'm that kind of warrior."  
  
Kuiper narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure you are, little Tala. That's why I have to teach you a lesson in Beyblading: I'm the best Beyblader around!"  
  
"Huh! That's just what I said...before I was defeated by Tyson!" Tala exclaimed with a chuckle at the beginning. "And I believe that I'll play Tyson's role in this battle as the victor! Wolborg, full power attack!"  
  
"It's two against one, is it? Well then, Doppelgost, Double-Go!" Kuiper cried.  
  
"Hmm...Let's see if this will work."  
  
"I can tell you that it won't, Lutka. Even if you can send out quality radio signals, how can you be sure that he'll pick them up?" Nigel said pessimistically.  
  
Judy stepped closer to the monitor and keyboard that Lutka leant over, typing away. Judy folded her arms. "Well, you can be sure that if it does work, it will severely aid Biovolt and our warriors."  
  
Irina moved to Judy's side, looking at the clipboard in her hands as she did so. "Yes. We won't have to wait here worrying how they're doing, and we can send reinforcements if needed."  
  
Lutka stopped typing. She lifted the microphone from its stand on the counter. She hit enter on the keyboard and began to speak into the microphone. "Commence trial run."  
  
Leon looked up from his seat at a monitor across the control room. "All systems go."  
  
Irina, Judy, and Nigel put their headphones on. Lutka watched them do so and then adjusted her own. She turned back to the screen. "Do we have a visual of the battle?"  
  
Leon typed something on the keyboard, and then an eye level view of Lake Baikal appeared on the screen in front of Lutka. It was an image of Kuiper standing, facing the monitor. Lutka leaned forward into the microphone and pressed a hand to her microphone. "Tala? Tala... Can you hear me?"  
  
"Huh? That sounded like Mom... But where is she?" Tala questioned rhetorically, surveying the area.  
  
Anya dismissed his comment with a wave of her hand. "Of course she's not here. She's all the way back at Biovolt in Moscow. You must be hearing things."  
  
Tala cast one last suspicious glance around and then turned back to the battle. "Hm... You're right. Wolborg, full power attack!"  
  
"Tala! I repeat! Can you hear me?"  
  
Tala had a dumbfounded look as he stared into space. "Yeah... I can hear you, but I can't see you. I didn't think that anyone could clear their conscience this clearly."  
  
"This isn't your conscience speaking. It's me, Lutka."  
  
Anya and Kuiper were now staring at Tala with disgust and bewilderment. Anya waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello? You must have voices in your head or something. Tala!"  
  
He ignored her and continued to listen to the voices that he was hearing in his head. "Lutka?  
  
Lutka turned around to face the others. The beams on their faces matched her overjoyed one. She nodded and then turned back to the screen. "Yes, it's me, Tala, my son. I wanted to know how the battle is going."  
  
Tala surveyed their frozen battleground. He saw Beyblades clashing and Bit Beasts making their appearances. He saw determination, pain, and fear. Then he saw the attempted bloodshed going on in one particular battle, making his eyes widen, heart skip a beat and breath become ragged. Despite that, he answered shakily, "F-fine..."  
  
"It doesn't sound fine."  
  
"W-well...it is. How can you hear me, anyway? And how can I hear you?"  
  
"Tala! Who are you talking to? Lutka is nowhere near here! And what is it? What's so scary?" Anya pressed with frustration.  
  
Tala ignored her once again. He listened to his mother's reply.  
  
"When Boris had made you into a cyborg, he infused you with a radio transmitter/receiver system. At Biovolt we've been able to hook sets of microphones and headsets to the system, allowing us to communicate with you, but you only for now."  
  
Tala didn't reply. He didn't know what to feel as he listened to his mother's words and watched the scene going on before his eyes.  
  
"Doppelgost, knock 'im out while he's preoccupied!"  
  
That brought Tala back to reality. He whipped around and to the battle to see Kuiper staring at the blades with Doppelgost charging at Wolborg.  
  
"Molphin, knock it out!" Anya screeched.  
  
Just as collision was about to occur, Molphin came crashing in from the side, hitting Doppelgost and rebounding it a few metres across the ice. Doppelgost wobbled a little and then regained its spin, zooming back towards the battle.  
  
Tala stood there, staring with a dazed look.  
  
"Come on, Tala! Wake up from your little daydreams and fight! Pretend you're fighting Tyson again! Remember how you, Bryan, and Spencer would do anything to win, including hurting the blader? Besides, what will Boris say if we lose this one?" Anya screamed at him.  
  
Tala took a step back and then his petrified expression turned into one of persistence. "Wolborg, freeze that blade!"  
  
With a quick flash of green light, Wolborg began to emerge from Tala's grey blade slowly. It howled a terrifying howl and then went for Doppelgost. Doppelgost made a mirror image action and the two met in the middle, Molphin on the sidelines, watching.  
  
The two Bit Beasts crashed and moaned or howled with blue and green light being shot in all directions. Kuiper and Tala both covered their faces with their arms, so that Anya was the only one that saw what happened next. She watched in shock as Doppelgost passed right through Wolborg. A limp body of green light was held in Doppelgost's arms as it headed up into the sky. Meanwhile, Wolborg flickered and disappeared from its position above its Beyblade. Tala's Beyblade began to wobble.  
  
Kuiper took his hands away from his face and was chuckling with an evil grin upon his face. "You're done for, Tala!"  
  
Tala took his arms away slowly and looked at his Beyblade. "Huh? What happened?" He glanced behind him and into the sky. He gasped. "The thing Doppelgost's holding looks like Wolborg!"  
  
Kuiper folded his arms. "Exactly. But don't worry, Doppelgost's just taking Wolborg to the Soul Realm-where Wolborg will be out of my way and yours. Now if you don't mind, I'll just be needing your soul for-hey!"  
  
A red flash of light intercepted Doppelgost's ascent. It grabbed Wolborg from Doppelgost and flew back down towards Tala's Beyblade. It streaked into the Bit Piece, depositing Wolborg, and then sped back behind Kuiper. Tala's Beyblade Bit Piece flashed green light and then the blade regained its spin. Anya, Kuiper, and Tala turned their heads to see Kai and Rhea standing there. Kai held up his blade as the red light returned to it. He lowered his arm to examine his Beyblade. "So that's how it's done."  
  
Rhea glanced solemnly down at him and then at Anya. "Yes, that's right, Kai."  
  
Anya started to blush in anger. She clenched her fists at her sides, beginning to tremble. "Look, Hiwatari-I could've done that myself, so don't flaunt it, okay?"  
  
Rhea paused and then replied. "Then why didn't you? There's no reason to take it out on my brother."  
  
"I wasn't taking it out on your brother. I was taking it out on you!"  
  
Rhea continued to stare, expression unfaltering.  
  
There was a long pause as Kuiper, Tala, and Kai observed the verbal battle between their two female elders. Kuiper couldn't stand it anymore. "Uh...If you two are all done with your little teenage social problems, could we continue with the battle?"  
  
Anya reached down and picked up her blade, not taking her fiery eyes off Rhea as if she would try to pull a surprise attack. "Sure. Continue."  
  
"Thank you." Kuiper turned back to the battle, only to see his blade lying on the ice with no spin. "What?! What happened?!"  
  
He cast his gazed upwards to Tala's face who stood there with the same smirk on his face that Kuiper had had before. Tala shrugged his shoulders and placed one hand on his hip. "It's the luck of the draw, Varuna. You can't spin forever."  
  
Kuiper growled and turned in the direction of where Kai and Spica had been fighting. He saw a deserted Spica lying there, prone on the ice. "What did you do to her?!" he gasped. He whipped around to face Kai and advanced on him. He grabbed Kai's collar and pulled him closer. "Kai Hiwatari! Answer me, you ludicrous idiot!"  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes and didn't struggle. "Nothing, really. She's just been relieved of her soul, that way it's out of my way and yours."  
  
Kuiper let him go rather forcefully. His eyes were wide and watery as his shoulders sagged. Then he tightened up and made a fist. He brought it up to his chest area slowly, shakily, and then thrust it outward-straight at Kai.  
  
With lightening speed, Kai brought his hand up and blocked Kuiper's hand. "You're so selfish. Didn't you think of how Tala would feel to losing Wolborg?"  
  
Kuiper raised his head quickly and stared at Kai with fearful eyes. He took his hand away and let it rest at his side. "How would you know?"  
  
Kai didn't reply but simply glared at him a moment before walking around him and towards Telesto and Sarah's battle. "Come on, Tala. I hope you've retrieved Eddy's soul?"  
  
Tala shot a quick glance at Kuiper's blade and then back at Kai. "What do you mean?"  
  
Kai stopped and turned to face him. "It's simple. Think that you're taking Bit Beasts once again."  
  
Tala examined his blade and then held it out to point to Doppelgost. Wolborg glowed and then extracted the red ghostly form of Eddy.  
  
"Give it back!" Kuiper yelled.  
  
Tala closed his fingers around his blade and brought it close to his chest. He ignored Kuiper's whimpers and sauntered after Kai.  
  
"Ahh!"  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Someone...p-please..." Sarah whispered as she crouched down on the ice. Tears from her eyes dotted the ice, re-wetting the spots that were covered in her and Telesto's blood.  
  
Telesto was in the same position. He held his arms across his chest and let out a yell. "Poltost!"  
  
Poltost collided with Fovular, using what meagre strength it had left. The two Bit Beasts had now become wounded and weak after fighting each other for so long. Fovular fell to the ground as Poltost hovered over it, trying to rest.  
  
"Please you two, stop. Nothing will come of this. If it's a forfeiture, we can call it a draw," Samson pleaded.  
  
Telesto lifted his head and glared Samson in the eye. "Stay out of this, Langley #2! Your sister and I will stop at nothing to win. Even if it kills us!"  
  
Samson drew back. "Langley #2?"  
  
Telesto pointed an accusing finger at the pacifistic boy. "Don't think I don't know about your sister's cryogenation, Langley! I know all about your little family!"  
  
Samson bit is lip and leaned in over Sarah. "Please, Sarah...Let me help you to fight! Or the both of you are going to die!"  
  
Sarah kept quivering with her head down. "No, Samson. This is my fight. And as Telesto said, I'll fight to the death. It's the most honourable way to go."  
  
"Not if you didn't gain anything from the experience!"  
  
"What is the point in learning if you're dead?"  
  
Samson withdrew to think a moment and then tried again. "That's the whole point! You don't want to die, that way you can survive to face many other opponents by learning from this experience!"  
  
Sarah slowly lifted her head to stare into Samson's fearful and worried eyes. There was a long pause. "No! I won't let you help!"  
  
With that, Sarah leapt up, but then threw a hand to her chest. She grasped the fabric tightly. She glared down at Telesto, who was still on the ice wincing and whimpering. "The strong...are the ones...that persevere...to defeat their enemy. So Fovular...let's show him how... total annihilation is done!" She cried between gasps for air.  
  
Fovular rose from its blade and tackled Poltost. More blood gushed from Telesto's arm wound and then eased up again. It was over. Telesto's blade had stopped spinning and Telesto had fainted from the pain. Enrique's orange soul was siphoned out of Telesto's blade and into Sarah's. Sarah began to sway back and forth before her knees buckled and she headed for the ground. Samson reached out and grasped her fully in his arms. "Good fight. You okay?"  
  
Sarah lifted her head and gazed into Samson's eyes again. "Yeah..." She glanced over his shoulder to see the Hiwataris and the Romanovs running towards them from the other edge of the lake. Samson turned around, too.  
  
"Oh! Sarah! Are you okay?" Anya exclaimed as she came to a halt right behind Samson. She took one glance at Telesto and cringed at the gory sight.  
  
Fovular wobbled and spun to a stop just as Rhea, Tala, and Kai made their way over. Tala and Kai stared in horror at the red ice before them. Tala knelt down beside Samson to examine Sarah. Tala reached out his quivering right hand and turned Sarah's head towards him. He glared with innocence and worry at the pain in her green eyes. He swallowed with some difficulty and then began to speak. "I knew you could win. Will you live?"  
  
Samson lowered his eyelids. "Yes, of course she will. What happened to Kuiper and Spica?"  
  
"We dealt with them," Kai answered. "Spica's soul is in the Soul Realm and Kuiper is moping around back there somewhere."  
  
Samson shifted his gaze from Tala to Sarah. "How are the other battles going?"  
  
"You stay here with Sarah, Samson. We'll go check and help out if we need to," Rhea proposed.  
  
Samson nodded as the others ran in the other direction, except for Tala. He had taken his hand away but continued to kneel there. Samson glanced at him. "Aren't you going to help?"  
  
Tala shook his head. "No, you go. You haven't fought today, so don't you want to try out your Beyblading skills against this ignominious Goadbwa lot?"  
  
Samson stared in wonder for a moment or two and then the determination returned to his features. "Promise you'll take care of my sister." He waited for Tala to take Sarah in his arms the same way he had been doing and then took off after the others.  
  
Sarah sat up straight so that she wasn't propped up by Tala anymore. "Thank you..."  
  
Tala couldn't take his eyes off her chest and was too entranced to reply.  
  
Sarah cocked her head to one side in confusion and suspicion. "What's so interesting about my chest, Tala?" She asked with a hint of annoyance in her tone.  
  
Tala looked up into her eyes. "Oh...uh...it's the blood. You're bleeding, can't you feel or at least see it?"  
  
Sarah glanced down at the left side of her chest. "Yes, of course. I can see it, that is. I can barely feel anything there. It feels numb."  
  
Tala hesitated. "Oh. You had me worried back there in that battle with Telesto. I could see the pain on your faces and it didn't look pretty." He glanced at the ice again and curled his lip in disgust.  
  
Sarah chuckled and closed her eyes on seeing Tala's expression. "Blood-squeamish, eh?"  
  
Tala cast his gaze back to her. "Uh...yeah."  
  
Sarah opened her eyes again and gazed longingly into Tala's blue eyes. "Well, you'd better cure that little quandary."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Sarah rested her head against Tala's shoulder gingerly and sighed in relief. "Because I have a feeling that we're going to be seeing more of it in upcoming battles. And a lot of it."  
  
Tala let out a small gasp; half from her action and half from her statement.  
  
"Monray, Prey!" Kieran yelled.  
  
A red manta ray rose from Kieran's navy blue blade. It threw itself on top of the Goadbwa deploy's Beyblade. Monray enveloped the blade with its wide body for a few seconds and then withdrew back to its own blade, leaving behind a dead Beyblade. The Goadbwa deploy gasped while Kieran smirked.  
  
Everyone then looked up into the sky as they heard the whirr of helicopter blades. Sure enough, they saw a black helicopter heading their way from the east-the direction of Moscow. But they noticed that it wasn't a Biovolt chopper. It was one of Goadbwa's.  
  
On seeing this, Tyson surveyed the battlefield. He saw that most of the Goadbwa deploys including Vitality Extortion were out cold. "So that's why they were brought in helicopters."  
  
The helicopter landed on the ice and the Biovolt deploys watched as the corpses were loaded into the chopper. Kuiper sauntered up the platform and turned around just as he was about to enter the cockpit. "You Biovolt deploys think you're so smart. Well, that'll all change next battle. I shall avenge the losses of my teammates and I!"  
  
"You just keep telling yourself that. 'Cause it's not going to happen," snapped Philemon.  
  
Kuiper shot a dagger glance at Philemon and then entered the cockpit with out another word. The helicopter's staircase was pulled up and it ascended into the air. A cheer arose from the Biovolt deploys. They had won their first battle.  
  
"Oh yeah, no more failures for Biovolt or the BBA!" Steve cried.  
  
"And we have Eddy's, Enrique's, and Kevin's souls back!" Oliver added optimistically.  
  
"I don't care what Kuiper says. We're not going to lose the next battle, no matter what!" yelled Max.  
  
"And look-here's comes the Biovolt copters!" Sarah exclaimed as she pointed a finger to the sky.  
  
They all stared at her wound.  
  
"What?" she questioned confusingly, unaware that that was what they were staring at.  
  
Tala took one look at them and placed his hands akimbo. "Tyson, I know what you're thinking. No, she's not a zombie."  
  
"She isn't now, but she was before," Elvin mused.  
  
"She's hurt and you taunt her like that?!" Mariah cried. "Shame on you, Elvin."  
  
Whatever comments came next were drowned out by the helicopter's drone. It touched down on the ice and everyone boarded. The helicopter headed back to Biovolt with a determined attitude in its passengers.  
  
Nothing to say, except for READ & REVIEW!!!!! 


	13. Soul Fusion

Things are really starting to heat up, aren't they? I've just about reached the halfway point. Well, kind of... Anyway, on with the fanfic! Wait hang on a minute! Review gratifications!  
  
Devildragon- Thank you for bringing that up. Now that you mention it, I see it too. I'll try to make Tala more "in-character" for the rest of the story.  
  
Anime the Fallen Angel- Check your reviews. What exactly do you mean by a "soppy ending"?  
  
Dusty D- Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine, thanks.  
  
13. Soul fusion  
  
On their way to the change rooms, Boris confronted Kai, Tala, and Sarah. The three stopped dead in their tracks and glared upward into those frigid grey eyes of his. He held out his arm to them, which on it rested what looked like three navy blue nightgowns.  
  
They cast their gazes to the nightgowns. "Instead of getting changed into your regular street clothes, get changed into these and go to the east lab infirmary."  
  
"The east lab infirmary? But isn't that the infirmary for experimental testing?" Tala queried.  
  
Boris straightened up a little. "Yes."  
  
"But why are you sending us there? Are you going to make Kai and Sarah cyborgs and give me upgrades?" Tala exclaimed, slightly annoyed.  
  
Kai and Sarah made a small gasp and then saw Boris shake his head.  
  
"No, no, Tala. Nothing of the sort. You'll see why when you finish changing. Now take a robe and do so. Oh, and don't forget to bring your Beyblades."  
  
Kai took a robe with no expression while Sarah handled it as if it was about to explode and Tala snatched it rather angrily from Boris, untrusting of him. Tala continued to stare at Boris suspiciously as he made his way down the corridor and out of sight.  
  
Tala led Kai and Sarah to the lab infirmary in the east wing of the Abbey. Each one wore the dark blue robe, which reached down to about their knees, and had their blades clenched firmly in their hands.  
  
When they got there, they saw scientists bustling about. Judy, Irina, George, Derek, Nigel, Mr. Dickenson, Leon, Vladimir, Kenny, and Boris were there, too. They also saw their teams and the other teams hanging around- probably to just help out wherever it was needed and to observe the whole procedure.  
  
"I can tell you, it's not going to work, Boris," Nigel was saying to Boris. "Emily, run a simulation of the operation on the computer."  
  
"Yes, Mr. Langley, sir," Emily replied as she ran to a nearby computer that wasn't being used.  
  
"I don't see why it wouldn't work," Boris answered. "Voltaire gave me the exact equipment specifications. It worked for Goadbwa in cloning souls, why won't it work for Biovolt in the fu- oh! Kai! Tala! Sarah! Come in! You too, Voltaire."  
  
Kai, Tala, and Sarah turned behind them and jumped on seeing Voltaire standing there. He pushed past Kai on the end. Kai moved slightly but not willingly. He scowled murderously at his grandfather as the man walked over to Boris' side.  
  
Tala was the first to take a step forward. Kai and Sarah followed a moment or two later. Tala stopped when he saw a long, vertical tube in the corner of the room. He glowered at it, oblivious to all the chatter and running around going on around him. 'Such hateful memories... Why did I have to be his strongest blader? And even if I was, wasn't I strong enough without..."hardwire cranium saturation and nerve and muscle strengthening"? Now because we can barely win against Goadbwa, I'll bet you he's going to do the same to Kai and Sarah.'  
  
While Tala was contemplating the incubation tube, Kai and Sarah surveyed a large steel door in the wall. Sarah took a few steps closer and placed her hands on the wheel handle, though she wasn't intending to open it. She pulled it away almost immediately. Kai saw that there was moisture where her hand had been, where the condensation from the frost had cooled.  
  
"It's cold. Why'd you pulled your hand away?"  
  
Sarah glanced into his eyes with a slightly angered look. "Yeah, it's cold. So very cold that you can't touch it, either."  
  
"Oh..."Kai trailed off as Boris came up behind them.  
  
"That's the cryogenation chamber," Boris explained.  
  
Sarah's eyes widened. Kai turned his head to look at Sarah. "I thought it would have been destroyed by the Black Dranzer incident. Didn't the east and north wings have to be rebuilt?"  
  
"Yes, but because of its high durability, it survived the juggernaut. It's the place where Celeste became Sarah," Boris continued.  
  
Kai stared at it in disbelief and Sarah stared at it in fear.  
  
"Boris! Are we going to do this now or not? I don't have all night, you know!" Voltaire yelled from the doorway to another room.  
  
Boris stood erect and looked down at Kai and Sarah. "Yes, Voltaire. Come along, you two."  
  
When Sarah refused to move, Kai took her by the shoulders and followed Boris into the other darkened room. Boris passed by Tala on the way, signalling for him to come, too. Judy, Irina, Nigel, Mr. Dickenson and Derek followed along with the Majestics, All Starz, and White Tigers.  
  
"Hand me your Beyblades," Mr. Granger instructed once they were inside. Kai, Tala and Sarah obediently did so.  
  
Derek took the Bit Pieces out and stepped over to three of the beds on the left side of the room. At the far end of the room was a window which moonlight shone through against the navy blue sky. There were ten beds in the rooms, five on each side. They all looked like hospital beds and had light blue sheets and covers on them. The floors and walls were made on the same stone bricks that the rest of the Abbey was made of.  
  
Derek held the Dranzer bit out towards Kevin. A red light with some yellow shot out and straight into Kevin's body. He made a slight jerk and then impending silence in the room as everyone's eyes lay on the boy. Then the red light shot out again, without the yellow this time, and into its bit.  
  
Kevin groaned, screwed up his eyes, and then fluttered them open. He sat bolt upright in the bed and looked around at everyone staring at him. "Huh? What happened? Did I faint or something?"  
  
"No, you had your soul taken," explained Derek.  
  
Everyone now crowded around his bed, and Kevin felt quite uncomfortable. "Uh... my... soul taken?"  
  
"Yes," Derek replied as he moved away from Kevin and over to Eddy's bed on the left. "But we'll explain once I wake Eddy and Enrique."  
  
Derek held up the Wolborg Bit to Eddy's unconscious form. A green light shot out with some red on it. It shot into Eddy, and after a second or two, it shot out again without the red light. Eddy groaned the same way Kevin had and opened his eyes right away. He blinked a couple times and stared blankly at everyone else staring down at him. "Uh...Where am I?"  
  
"I'll explain in a minute," Derek replied as he then stepped over to Enrique's bedside. He did the same to Enrique as he had to Kevin and Eddy. A yellow form flashed with traces of orange. It then shot out just as Wolborg and Dranzer had done. Enrique's eyes fluttered open right away and sat up right away, fear and surprise in his eyes. "Hah! What happened? Where are Amanda and Cecilia?! I must live to find them! Am I dead? It's so...comforting here."  
  
"No, you're not dead, Enrique," Judy explained. She placed her hands on her hips. "Although I can imagine it felt like it."  
  
"What felt like it?" Eddy questioned.  
  
"We 'had our souls taken'," answered Kevin, turning his head to Eddy.  
  
"That is correct," clarified Irina as she stepped forward and away from the throng. "Your souls were taken by Vitality Extortion when you battled them, weren't they?"  
  
When Eddy, Enrique, and Kevin stared back with blank looks, she sighed and continued. 'This is going to be like pulling teeth...' "Well, that's what happened from what we at Biovolt can gather. And since you three were the only ones that were there to witness and experience it, you're our vital links."  
  
The three nodded their heads slowly, as if Irina was speaking a different language and they were agreeing just to be polite.  
  
"Okay, then. Let's start with the question: How did it feel to be dormant for these past few days?"  
  
Kevin raised his hand gingerly.  
  
Everyone turned to him. "Yes, Kevin?" Irina called upon.  
  
"Uh...well I don't think I remember even feeling anything at all."  
  
"Yeah, that's right. No happiness, no sadness, just...no expression at all. Not even contentment," added Enrique.  
  
"Unless you're talking about the Soul Realm, I believe it's called," Eddy chimed in.  
  
Nigel leapt forward, a look on his face that was intent on finding out about it. "Yes, yes, that's it! Tell us all you know!"  
  
Eddy backed away slightly. "Uh...sure, Mr. Langley, sir. Well, let's see..."  
  
"It was like...this place..." Enrique interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, it was this beautiful land..." Kevin continued.  
  
Eddy nodded his head. "Uh-huh. The thing I remember the best from it was this cliff..."  
  
"And it was really steep with a straight drop to crashing waves and rocky outcroppings below..." Enrique said.  
  
Kevin made a wide gesture with his arms; a semicircle. "But the impending danger below was made up for by the beautiful huge sunset that was always there. There seemed to be no transition between day or night."  
  
Enrique clasped his hands and stared into space. "It was so totally cool...The girls would have loved to have seen it."  
  
"Sounds interesting, though I'm not willing to lose my soul just for that," Sarah implied.  
  
"Sorry, Sarah, but that's what's going to have to happen," Derek informed as he placed the Bit Pieces back in their respective Beyblades and handed them back to their owners.  
  
"What?" Sarah asked in shock. "Why?"  
  
"It's Biovolt's plan to combat Goadbwa by the enhancement of the prophesied ones' souls," Voltaire explained.  
  
"But how exactly do you plan to 'enhance' our souls?" Kai queried.  
  
Boris stepped forward. "We shall extract your souls and then extract the souls of your Sacred Spirits. We shall then fuse your soul with your Bit Beasts, making the two of you fight as one to defeat the enemy. Call it 'synchronizing' if you will."  
  
"Soul fusion? But how can you possibly do that?" Tala asked doubtfully.  
  
Judy moved towards the exit of the room. "Anything's possible with the technology these days." She stepped out and into the control room.  
  
"Shall we begin?" Boris asked, advancing on the doorway the same way Judy had.  
  
Kai, Tala, and Sarah turned to each other with apprehensive looks. "We don't have to go through with this, if we don't want to, you know," Tala whispered out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
Sarah raised her hand in a trembling fist. "I want to. It's about time Fovular and I got in touch. Even though we've created a psychic bond, already, this one'll be a physical connection."  
  
Kai hesitated. "Yeah. I agree with Sarah. Dranzer and I have some catching up on to do."  
  
Tala sighed. "I guess I can't be the only one to object, then."  
  
"Right, then. Follow me, you three," Boris instructed as he left the room.  
  
The three followed Boris with his brisk walk to another room down through the control room and down the hall. They came to a long, stone room with vertical incubation tubes, some with green fluid in them already, some awaiting a victim. There were scientists and technicians standing in the room beside stretchers and some of them were making final checks on the incubation tubes. Lutka, of course being the Head Scientist, was there. She was making one final check on one of the tubes, but then looked up to see Boris, her son, and his friends. Lutka raised her hand in the air. "Okay, everyone. That should be perfect. Get the wiring ready!"  
  
The technicians and scientists immediately took to the order, leaving the incubation tubes behind. Lutka stepped over to Boris' side, her lab coat flowing behind her. "Are we ready to commence Operation: Soul Fusion, sir?"  
  
"I don't know. Are all systems go, Irina?" Boris asked his sister who was standing behind him. Kai, Tala, and Sarah jumped, for they hadn't known of Irina's presence.  
  
Irina checked her clipboard quickly, then she pulled a walkie-talkie out of her lab coat pocket and spoke into it. "Are we all clear?"  
  
A staticy voice replied, "Ready with all automatic computer systems."  
  
Irina turned back up to Boris and with a smile responded, "Yes."  
  
Boris turned to Kai, Tala, and Sarah. "Take off your robes and go over to the scientists over there."  
  
"Excuse me?" Sarah asked with a prissy, uncomfortable look.  
  
Boris glared at her with suspicion. "You do have that special bathing suit I gave you three, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, but I don't see why we have to wear bathing suits," Kai said as he pulled the robe up and over his head and handed it to Boris, revealing a pair of tight blue shorts. He stepped towards one of the scientists.  
  
Tala did the same and moved over to another scientist. He had the same swimming trunks as Kai did, the same ones he had wore while in the incubation tube becoming a cyborg. "Well, think. We're going to be in this green incubation fluid, and correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't fluid supposed to be wet?"  
  
Kai turned around and scowled at Tala. "There's no need to be so sarcastic about it."  
  
Tala glared back as he reached the other scientist.  
  
"Tala's right. They're also more easy to move around with if they're tight, that way you have nothing billowing about you," Lutka explained. She turned to Sarah, who still stood apprehensive and in her navy blue robe. "Are you going to join them?"  
  
Sarah glanced up at her and then back at Kai and Tala. "Yeah...I guess." She pulled the robe up and over her head, revealing a two-piece blue bathing suit of the same ultramarine hue as Kai and Tala's.  
  
"Oh, Sarah, dear- You may want to untie your hair, too, honey," Irina said as Sarah began to take a step away.  
  
Sarah turned, and then yanked on either one of her pigtail buns. They released to become a pair of sad-looking, regular pigtails, and then she took the elastic off from them. She handed the elastics to Irina and scurried over to the third scientist, Kai and Tala staring as she hurried past.  
  
The three held out their arms as wires were attached to them. Wires were also attached to their neck, forehead, and legs. They then handed the scientists their Beyblades. The scientists strode across the room to the incubation tubes opposite Kai's, Tala's, and Sarah's. They took the Bit Pieces out and placed them in a small bit-shaped indent on the mantle in front of the tube.  
  
Dranzer glowed red light from the mantle indent, then appeared in the tube as a ghostly image. Wolborg and Fovular did the same. But then after a few seconds of floating in the green fluid of the tubes, their images began to darken. Their forms stopped glowing, and they came to look like the animals they had once been, without the armour of ghostly body. A fox, a wolf, and a red bird were now all that floated unconscious in the tubes.  
  
"Step into the tubes, you three," Lutka instructed.  
  
The three did so, stepping onto the circular black platforms of where the tubes were to be. The three stood on the platforms opposite their Bit Beast's tube bracing themselves for what might happen next. Their readiness was answered by a rumbling sound and vibrations coming from the platforms they were standing on. Tala didn't falter-he knew what was going on, while Kai and Sarah glanced downwards in slight fear and curiosity.  
  
After a moment or two of the rumbling and vibrations, glass began to rise from the platform below them. It was a circle, the same size and shape as the platforms below and above them. The glass enclosed them as it met the top platform, making and airtight enclosure.  
  
They were ready to begin. Everyone else had left the room, including Boris and Irina. Sarah turned her head in the direction of Kai and Tala, since she was on one of the ends. "What now?"  
  
"We wait. There'll be a lot of commands and replies coming over the speakers. And once all the action tones down, the tube will begin to fill with incubation fluid." Tala replied.  
  
"Will it cover our heads? Because if it does, we'll drown," mentioned Kai.  
  
"No we won't," Tala answered without turning his head to either one of them. He continued to stare straight ahead and at Wolborg.  
  
"Now decanting incubation fluid."  
  
Kai and Sarah looked up at the speaker in their tubes as the male announcer came on. Then they looked down as they felt something warm and wet at their feet. The green fluid had begun to come from jets on the bottom platforms. It continued to flow until the verdant liquid lapped at their ankles. Then it moved up their legs to their knees. A couple minutes more brought it to their hips. It proceeded up to their necks, when Kai and Sarah began to get nervous, holding their heads higher. They both glanced at Tala in the middle, who had his eyes closed and seemed perfectly comfortable. When the fluid was up to where their noses were supposed to be, Kai and Sarah turned their heads upwards even more, while Tala's face lay submerged in the warm green liquid. He was so quiet, still and calm that he seemed unconscious.  
  
"Kai, Sarah, don't worry. This liquid won't drown you. It's special," came Judy's voice over the speakers within the tube.  
  
"That's right. You can breathe this liquid. It has a special oxygen component to it, so you don't have to worry about breathing," Lutka added.  
  
"Though it has an sedative component, too," Judy continued. "After a few minutes of being in contact with and inhaling the fluid, you shall become unconscious. That will make the perfect conditions for extracting your souls."  
  
"But you can't be very tense and uppity, you two. Think nought but happy thoughts." Lutka explained.  
  
Sarah and Kai, still untrusting of them, slowly lowered their heads into the liquid. Sarah ducked her head in, took a deep breath and felt the warmth of the liquid move through her mouth and surge through her insides. Kai did the same, and tried to relax in the warmth of it all.  
  
"They're not relaxing..." Emily said in a rather panicked tone.  
  
Tyson pushed his way to the front of the crowd gathered around the visual screen and microphone. "Hey! I know what'd make Kai happy and relaxed! Could I give it a try?"  
  
Emily, who was sitting on the chair in front of the computer, looked up. "Sure. I don't see why not. But maybe the whole team should confer upon the matter. You too, Demolition Boys and Celestial Myriad. You guys know what your leader likes and doesn't like the best."  
  
The Bladebreakers stepped up first. The three of them and Kenny gathered around the microphone as Irina made the page confidential to conduit #1.  
  
"Hm...What would soothe Kai?" Ray pondered.  
  
"Kai doesn't really seem to want anything from us or anyone else..." Max cited.  
  
"I know one thing he wants," Tyson taunted with a sneer as he gripped the microphone greedily in his gloved hands. He flipped the switch to turn it on. "Hey Kai-"  
  
"Argh! Tyson! What are you going to say?" Kenny exclaimed as he covered the transmitter with his hand and pulled it away from Tyson's mouth.  
  
"Nothing much," Tyson replied dumbly.  
  
Ray took the microphone from Tyson's hand. "Stop fooling around, dude. Now think, guys. What would make him happy?"  
  
"I know!" Max exclaimed. Ray handed him the microphone cautiously. "Kai! The Bladebreakers'll win every match we're in just for you, 'kay? We promise. If we do by any chance happen to lose..."  
  
"Then you can do whatever you want to us." Finished Ray.  
  
"Except kick us off the team," affixed Kenny.  
  
"And kill us." Tyson finalized. "Oh yeah! And here's something that'll calm you down! The water's warm, right? Well, imagine that it's someone's warm embrace. Such as..." Tyson covered his mouth and whispered something into the microphone.  
  
"What?! Look, Tyson, just keep your grubby little nose out of my 'lovelife'!" was Kai's exasperated reply.  
  
As the Bladebreakers turned off the microphone and walked away, Kenny turned to Tyson. "What was that? What did you say?"  
  
The Celestial Myriad stepped up. Irina switched the intercom to conduit #2. Kai had seemed to have calmed down, and now had his eyes closed, probably thinking about whatever Tyson had told him.  
  
Eva took the microphone in her hands and turned it on. "Think...what would make Sarah happy?"  
  
"To beat me at everything..." Philemon suggested.  
  
"She does that already." Eva retorted.  
  
"No she doesn't!" Philemon cried, but no one was listening.  
  
"I know." Elvin said.  
  
"Better not be anything nasty-" Eva replied with a scowl.  
  
Elvin extended his hand out for the microphone. "It's not. Just give me the microphone."  
  
Eva glowered even more as Elvin took it in his hand. He kept a straight face as he began to speak. "Hey Sarah...think of... Philemon!"  
  
"What?!" Eva and Sarah both erupted. Elvin chuckled as Eva snatched the microphone back from him. Philemon narrowed his eyes and yelled at the microphone, "Maybe you should think of Elvin!"  
  
Eva cradled the microphone in her arms and held it away from her two male teammates. "If Sarah thinks of you two, she'll become a mutant!" Eva placed the microphone close to her mouth, the same way Tyson had done. She glanced quickly upwards at the ceiling and stifled a laugh, then spoke into the microphone. "Hey, Sarah! Think of your 'friends'!"  
  
"Friends?" Sarah queried in confusion. "You know how many friends I have now because of you and your little terminology?"  
  
"Huh? Oh! Well...think of your special someones...your little blue- haired and red-haired living organisms..."  
  
"Blue and red..." Sarah mumbled. "Oh!" She then burst out. "You know everyone can hear?! Why don't you think of your little black-haired and purple-haired living organisms?"  
  
Eva made a pouting face and then turned off the microphone. She placed it back on the counter and noticed Mariah glance around the room. Her eyes landed on Ray, and then glanced towards Eva. Mariah curled up her lip and blushed in anger. She stuck her tongue out at Eva, and did the same.  
  
Both Kai and Sarah were now relaxed, and were beginning to get drowsy from the sedative fluid. Tala had already been knocked out, in a deep, drugged sleep and dreaming of what the source of all the warmth he felt could be. Soon, Kai and Sarah were in the same state, and their souls slowly began to slip out of their bodies...  
  
"Yes! That's it!" Exclaimed Gilepse.  
  
"It was no problem, sir," Ophelia replied in the same monotone she always carried.  
"You bet it is. We'll surprise that old fool and his 'prophesied' ones, all right! They'll never suspect an attack like this when we've planned a battle already," Gilepse said cockily.  
  
Gilepse and Ophelia were in the main control room of Galsky Castle, Goadbwa's headquarters. Ophelia sat on a chair in front of a computer screen and Gilepse stood behind her, looking over her shoulder. On the computer screen in front of them was a map of Moscow, and then a red blinking dot that showed the location of Balkov Abbey.  
  
The room around them was dark, because of the lack of lighting. The only light came through the glass window of the door to the hallway and the single computer screen. The room was fully white when the lights were on, what with the white tile floors and keyboards of the many computers, including the walling which was also of the same blanched colour. Since it was late at night, all the other technicians had ended their jobs for the day and were catching up on their sleep, leaving Gilepse and Ophelia in an abandoned room to find the location of Biovolt's headquarters-which they had.  
  
"But there is one thing, Gilepse..." Ophelia trailed off.  
  
Gilepse turned his gaze from the computer screen to Ophelia. "Yes?"  
  
She turned her head upwards to him. "What are we going to do with Spica and Telesto?"  
  
Gilepse lifted his head and stared blankly at the computer screen. "Well, I hear that Telesto is okay, and has woken up already. All he needs is a little rest and he'll be as good as new, He has no mortal wounds. As for Spica on the other hand, we'll have to implant her with a soul, otherwise she is of no use to us. Either that, or find a new recruit."  
  
"None of the trainees have the same Beyblading skill as she would at this point. We've been negligent of training for the past few months. Besides, none of them would stand a chance against the Biovolt deploys. Spica, Telesto and Kuiper are the best we have-that's why they became Goadbwa's deploy team, Vitality Extortion."  
  
Gilepse nodded. "Yes, you're right. I guess we have no choice, then." He turned on his heel and strode over to the door. He stopped and turned back to Ophelia as he placed one hand on the door. "It's late. I'm going to bed, and you should, too. We'll commence the implantation tomorrow morning. We'll also need to come up with a new set of battlecostumes."  
  
Ophelia slouched in her chair. "Yes, Gilepse, sir." She watched as Gilepse opened the door and exited, the door swinging closed behind him.  
  
The morning sun shone through the window. It landed on her face, warming and waking her almost immediately. Her eyelids slowly opened, and she threw her head back a little on the pillow. She moved her hand out from under the blanket and to her right eye and felt the machine that rested there. It covered her right eye completely, and through it she could see only blackness. Through her left eye she saw the cold stone room she lay in.  
  
Sarah took her hand away and sat up in the bed. She was in the room with the hospital beds, and she was sitting in one of them. Kai and Tala were still asleep in the two beds to the left of hers. She glanced at the window, only a metre away from her since she was on one of the end beds. Sunlight poured through and she squinted as she looked outside at the snow that lay on the stone bricks of the Abbey courtyard.  
  
The sheets of the bed were light blue, as was her pillow. She had the dark blue robe on again, which someone must have put on while she had been asleep. She turned to Kai and Tala again, to see that they had the robes on, too. They also had some machine-like device over their right eyes, which was probably the same as the one she wore. It looked like some sort of high-tech eyepatch. The two boys were fast asleep.  
  
Sarah noticed that on a chair in the opposite corner of the room were their clothes, supposedly they were expected to get changed once they had woken up. Taking advantage of the fact that Kai and Tala were asleep, she eased herself out from under the bedsheets and onto the cold stone floor. She stepped over to the chair, and searched through the pile for her things. She found her two blue ribbons, yellow T-shirt, white and red pants, black and white vest, purple gloves, and yellow and white boots. But where were her purple belt and star necklace? Not in this pile. Maybe the Celestial Myriad or Boris had them.  
  
Regardless of her incomplete outfit, she got dressed, all the while praying that Kai or Tala wouldn't wake up or no one would come in. When she finished, she found and sorted Kai's and Tala's clothes, only to find they were missing things, too. Tala's two orange belts weren't in the pile and Kai was missing his gloves and scarf. After puzzling over what could have happened to their garments for a minute or two, she placed their clothes on the foots of their beds.  
  
Sarah glanced around the room for a clock and found one-it read 8:35. The other trainees should have been up by now and in mass. That must have been why the Abbey was so quiet. She must have slept through the bustling of the trainees as they had moved from dormitories to church room. But the funny thing about it was: why didn't Boris wake them? He had always been a firm believer in religion, and had always wanted all the trainees and staff to attend mass, no matter what excuse they gave. Wouldn't he expect Kai, Tala, and Sarah to do the same?  
  
Sarah walked outside of the infirmary and into the control room. It was abandoned, so she moved on to the hall. She looked up and down the corridor to see no one. She decided to stay in the infirmary at least until Kai or Tala woke up. As she re-entered the control room, she cast her gaze sideways and noticed the cryogenic chamber again. She froze halfway to the infirmary and turned her body so that she fully faced the door. Her innocent stare then turned to a scowl as she stepped closer to it, slowly, but surely.  
  
She was about to place her hand on the turntable handle again when she remembered what had happened the last time. She withdrew her hand sharply and ran into the infirmary. She grabbed her abandoned robe off the chair and hurried back to the chamber door. She placed the robe over one of the bars on the handle and firmly gripped the bar in both hands. She commenced attempting to turn it. She struggled with all her might, and after a couple of seconds it began to budge. That only made her try harder. Finally, the turntable handle gave in and spun fully around. With loud clicking and clanking sounds, it unlocked and opened slightly, the sublimating air billowing out through the crack.  
  
Sarah glared at the crack in disbelief, a look of slight fear on her face. She stepped up to the crack, wedged her fingers in it and pulled the door open wider. Inside she saw another room, covered in condensation and frost. It must have been at least 10 metres to the ceiling, and 15 metres to the opposite end of the room. Sarah felt the chill envelope her, which made her shudder and want to shut the door right away, but she couldn't. Something was drawing her inside. She took a step inside to take a closer look at the large metal cylinders in front of her. There were about 12 of them. On the walls, she saw more doors like the one that led to the main cryogenic chamber. Though she was freezing, she took some more steps closer to the closest door. Then she heard a loud clanking behind her. She whipped around to see the door closing by itself. She gasped and ran to the door, but it closed and slammed shut just as she reached it.  
  
She stared around the cryogenation chamber in trepidation. She pounded her hands against the door and screamed. "Kai! Tala! Someone! Help me!"  
  
The cold was beginning to encircle and close in on her. She could see the goosebumps on her arms seemingly grow bigger and she could feel her teeth chattering and body shivering.  
  
Tala's eyes burst open and he sat bolt-upright in the bed. He panted and was sweaty, having woken up from a rather disturbing nightmare. He ran his fingers over the machine covering his eye before he looked up and towards the control room on hearing a mocking laugh. He glanced at Kai, who was still sleeping but didn't see Sarah. He caught his breath, swallowed, and got out of bed without bothering to change. He moved groggily into the control room to see no one there, though he could hear a pounding on some door.  
  
He could hear the pounding getting fainter, and the silence interval between each impact was getting bigger each time. He saw only one door in the room-the cryogenation chamber's. He noticed the navy blue robe on one of the bars, and remembering that Kai still had his on and so did he, there was only one person the other robe could have belonged to. 'Oh no,' Tala thought. 'What could have happened to her?' Putting the evidence together, he came up with a rather disturbing explanation, one as disturbing as his dream. 'She's not in bed, her robe is right here, and there's pounding on the door. I could also swear I heard my name being called...by her...'  
  
Tala tilted his head back and checked to see if Kai really and truly was in bed. He was, so that was one suspect off his list. He leapt over to the door and yanked on the turntable. He could hear the pounding had stopped, but continued to pull. The handle cranked, and then unlocked. Tala placed his hand in the crack and pushed the door open. He held out his arms as Sarah fell into them. She had the same machine on her eye. 'Well it's better than what I originally thought...'  
  
Tala could feel that her skin was freezing and that she wasn't shivering. Tala placed her arms around his neck and reached with his left hand as he held her with his right for the door. He pushed the door shut, and the turntable spun around, locking once more. Tala knelt down on the floor and cradled Sarah in his arms. He could see that she was scarcely breathing. "Sarah? Sarah!"  
  
Sarah opened her eyes and the pained expression on her face disappeared. "Tala..."  
  
Tears began to well up in Tala's eyes. He blinked them away, but they streamed down his cheeks and onto Sarah's. He pulled Sarah closer to him so that her face touched his. Sarah could feel the machine's band around his head press against her jawbone. Tala could feel the coolness of the cryogenation chamber rub off from her and onto his cheek. He hugged her tightly, tears now flowing freely. "Sarah...Why do you do these things to yourself?"  
  
The spirit soared through the Abbey and back to its awaiting body. Its cackle rang through the deserted corridors as it finally reached its destination: the dormant body of Rhea Hiwatari. Rhea's body lay in her bed, unable to be woken when it was time for mass. The white soul returned to the body.  
  
Rhea winced and then opened her eyes. She sat up and held her head. The pain in it pounded. She looked at the window. Outside she saw the pond with the trees on the opposing side. The skies were blue and clear. "Why'd you do that?" she asked.  
  
To the bystander, it would have seemed that she was talking to herself, when really there was someone else in the room. Only thing was that this person was visible to Rhea only. The person was a female of Rhea's age, 18, and her name was Crucis, or so Rhea called her. Rhea scowled at the girl sitting on the edge of her bed. She had jet-black hair and light blue eyes, the colour of Tala's. She was a ghostly image and seemed to take no notice of Rhea as she smiled and fiddled with the ponytail high on her head.  
  
"Crucis!" Rhea exclaimed with irritation. "Speak, now!"  
  
The girl on the end of the bed took her hands away from her hair and looked up at Rhea. She now scowled back at Rhea after turning her head from the window to her. "What do you want, Rhea? I thought you never showed emotion."  
  
"I can when I want to, now answer me!"  
  
Crucis folded her arms. "I can do whatever I want. Including killing Langley's sister."  
  
"But why would you want to do that? I thought you were out for revenge on the Hiwataris."  
  
"I am, but can't I have my fun?"  
  
"Fun! Fun?" Rhea yelled, out of character. "Killing people isn't fun!"  
  
"It is when you're me."  
  
Rhea's eyes welled up with tears. She lowered her head and the tears fell onto her blanket. She clutched the blanket in her hands tighter. "How would you know the true pain of death? You were the one that killed my parents...you caused that car crash...you were the one that caused all the pain and misery to Kai and I."  
  
"Look, Rhea-what have I told you about getting sentimental?"  
  
Rhea looked up, the scowl still on her face. She didn't answer.  
  
Crucis unfolded her arms and began to play with her black dress. "Don't do it, 'cause I'm not listening and it'll only make me murder you faster."  
  
"Rhea?"  
  
Rhea and Crucis both turned to the doorway, and Crucis disappeared. Rhea saw Kieran standing there. He had the same smile on his face that he always did as he advanced on her. "Who are you yelling at? Crucis again?"  
  
Rhea continued to scowl and looked away towards the window. "Yes."  
  
Kieran sat down at the foot of the bed.  
  
Rhea turned her head from the window and to Kieran's blood red eyes. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at mass?"  
  
Kieran stared back at Rhea with daunting nonchalance. "Nope. It just finished. Langley and Romanov should be up here any minute-yelling at each other."  
  
Rhea's smile became a painful smile. "What are they fighting about, now?"  
  
Kieran looked away towards the door. "You know that brown-haired, blue-eyed kid, Alexander?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, his last name's Langley, like Samson. He told them that after they bumped into him in the hall. He claimed Anya to be his mother and Samson his father. So now, Anya's dragging Samson over to Boris to find out if this is true or not. Though how it's possible I don't know."  
  
Rhea lost her smile and she became emotionless once again. "It is possible, I suppose. But I thought Alexander was banished from the Abbey?"  
  
"No. He was simply threatened and then brought back. Old Boris is going soft these days."  
  
None of them spoke for a minute or two as they listened to trainees pass by outside the room. Kieran broke it, though kept his voice low. "Anyway, what has Crucis said to you lately?"  
  
Rhea fiddled with a button on her oversized shirt; her nightgown. "She says...that the time is drawing near...to when she'll make me commit suicide."  
  
"Has she said anything about how?"  
  
"No, though she's talked about how she killed past victims. She made one slit their throat, she drowned one, and flung another from a cliff. What about Toutalis?"  
  
"No. Nothing. I actually haven't talked to him in a long while. I wonder if he's given up on me and left. I just hope that he hasn't possessed Eva."  
  
"Rhea?"  
  
The two looked up as Lutka poked her head in the doorway. "Oh, hi Kieran. Oh! Sorry! Did I barge in on anything?"  
  
Kieran said, "No" while Rhea shook her head.  
  
Lutka stepped just inside the room and stood in the doorway. She had her long red hair tied in a ponytail low on her head that reached halfway down her back and tied in a salmon pink elastic. She wasn't wearing her labcoat, so you could fully see her green sweater, brown belt and black knee-length skirt. She wore her black high-heeled shoes. "Okay, then. Rhea...Why weren't you at mass this morning?"  
  
"Sorry, Lutka. I slept in and the others couldn't wake me."  
  
"That's fine, but maybe you should get to sleep earlier tonight, okay? Boris wants to see you there tomorrow." With that, she turned and left the room.  
  
Once she was out of earshot, Kieran turned back to Rhea. "We shouldn't tell the truth until the time is right."  
  
Rhea nodded slowly. "Until the time is right."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So Kieran's possessed, too. And what about Spica? Has Goadbwa returned her soul or what? Will she be ready in time for the surprise attack Goadbwa's planning? Find out soon! Oh yeah, and READ AND REVIEW o !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	14. Intruders

14. Intruders  
  
"Can you see what's going on, Sarah?" Sarah heard through the earpiece of the machine.  
  
"Yes. I can see exactly what Fovular sees; Griffolyon using its Wing Dagger. I can see the feathers being shot straight at me," she replied. Then she made a small scream and shielded herself.  
  
"Yep, it's working alright." Lutka said as she leaned back in her chair.  
  
Irina, who had been sorting files, gathered some in her arms and looked at the screen over Lutka's shoulder. "Hm...That's nice." She immediately went back to sorting files.  
  
Lutka froze and then turned around, hooking her arm over the back of the chair. "'Hm... That's nice.'? That's it? Nothing more?"  
  
Without looking up, Irina replied, "Yes."  
  
Lutka stared at her oddly. "You know Irina, to someone who doesn't know you well, they'd think you wouldn't care for your daughter all that much."  
  
"Is it my fault that I have work to do? Boris keeps me busy as Biovolt Operations Director, you know."  
  
Sarah, Kai, Tala, Robert, Michael, and Lee were in the main hall. Boris and their teams were supervising them as they fought each other. Kai was facing Lee, Tala was facing Michael, and Sarah was facing Robert. Biovolt was testing the three in battle to see if the soul fusions had been successful.  
  
Kai, Tala, and Sarah were wearing the machined eyepatches and new uniforms. The new uniforms had a bottom layer of body-tight jumpsuits, Kai's black, Tala's white, and Sarah's grey. The sleeves reached the wrists, the legs reached their ankles, and the neck covered their necks. On top of that was a light green vest. On the left side of the vest was the Biovolt logo, and on the right were the yellow buttons as on Kai's shirt. The vest had tubal lining around the neck and arm openings, Kai's blue, Tala's red, and Sarah's purple. Down the middle of the vest was a zipper that reached to the bottom of the vest, which was shaped like a female's one piece swimsuit. But you could only see the top half because the bottom half was covered by armour. The armour was a series of two plates, one layered on top of the other, that protected their stomach and groin area. Kai's was cerulean blue, Tala's was ruby red, and Sarah's was orchid purple. Where their waist was in the middle of the armour was a black belt with Kai's dragon clasp. From it hung two belts, the same colour and shade as on the person's tubal lining. They wore knee-high boots. The front of the boots were the red, blue, or purple, and went from the protruding triangle at their knees to the dragon design on Kai's boots, forming a shin- guard. The back of the boot was the same green as the vest. On the shoe of the boot was a strip like on Tala and Sarah's boots which was either black, white or grey. The sole of the boot was also either black, white or grey. They had gloves that went halfway up their upper arm that was either blue, red, or purple. At the wrist was a metal band that held a green strip there. It made a ring around their finger and made a half diamond shape that went halfway up their forearm.  
  
So far, the experiments were functional. Kai first knocked out Galeon, then Tala knocked out Trygle, and finally Sarah knocked out Griffolyon. Once that happened, Boris clapped his hands for everyone to hear. "Right, everyone. That's enough for today. Sarah, Kai, Tala, get changed and return your blades to the testing facilities."  
  
"Lutka, could you pass me that file on the counter, please?"  
  
"Sure. I would if there was a file there," Lutka replied curtly.  
  
Irina looked over to where Lutka sat and saw no file on the counter. "Oh. So you're right. Shoot! I must have left it in the basement testing facilities..."  
  
"Don't sweat it, Irina," Lutka said as she typed stood up and finished typing something. "I'm done. I'll get it. Where is it?"  
  
Irina placed a hand on her chin and the other her hip, as if deeply thinking of the matter. "Hm...Let's see...I'm sure I left it on the counter of the testing facilities control room."  
  
"Okay, I should be able to find it, then." Lutka answered as she walked out of the room.  
  
Lutka's high-heeled footsteps echoed throughout the Biovolt hallways. On her way from the east lab to the staircase that led to the basement level, she heard a sound come from the main entrance hall. She had just stepped past it, and so turned around and hurried a few feet back.  
  
Lutka poked her head in the doorway, but saw nothing, and so she moved on. 'I'm sure I heard something...like a gunshot, door creaking and then a dash of footsteps...And if not, then what was it? Oh, Lutka...get back to your senses! Hearing things is a sign of ageing!'  
  
Tok, tok, tok...  
  
Lutka whipped around at the sound of footsteps that didn't sound like her own. She surveyed the corridor that she had stepped through already and saw no one. She scowled and turned back around slowly. 'If anyone's following me, I'd see them. The hallway's wide open...And if anyone has indeed infiltrated the premises through the main hall I'd have seen that, too...'  
  
She walked a few more metres and then heard the footsteps once again. She stopped, and there were four more footsteps before they stopped, too. Lutka froze. Someone was following her! She whirled around again and made a defensive stance of clenched fists. She saw no one standing there once again.  
  
"Come on out, whoever you are! I'm not afraid! Why don't you just assassinate me to get it over and done with already?" she cried, her voice reverberating down the empty hall.  
  
When there was no reply, she turned and ran towards the staircase. She reached them and hastened down the stairs, almost losing her step halfway down. She heard the footsteps come after her, so she ran away from the staircase and to the testing facilities; the nearest room-she had to go there, anyway.  
  
She made it there and rushed inside, slamming the door shut behind her. She put the four locks on and leaned against the door, breathing heavily. Once she had caught her breath, she listened carefully for sounds of her pursuers. All was quiet-she couldn't even hear their footsteps so she relaxed and stepped away from the door.  
  
She moved towards the control room slowly as she ran her hand through her messed up hair. She sighed as she pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked the door to the control room. She had unlocked it and placed her hand on the knob to open it when she heard what sounded like another gunshot. She turned her head rapidly to see a hole in the wooden door where a bullet had penetrated it.  
  
"Open the door!" She heard a familiar voice command.  
  
Lutka stared in fear, not knowing what to do. She was trapped in the room-there was no other exit except for that door. She could open the door, but they would surely shoot her. Then again, if she left it shut, they would break it down.  
  
"Lutka! I see you in there! There's no point in trying to hide from us!"  
  
'Us...' That meant that there was more than one of them. But how many more?  
  
"You've got three seconds! One..."  
  
'What do I do?!' Lutka's petrified mind screamed.  
  
"Two..."  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming!"  
  
"Three!"  
  
The door burst open, the wooden beams that served as locks cracked, broke, and flew past Lutka. Lutka stopped running towards the door and shielded her face from the beams. When the dust had cleared, she took her hands away and looked up to see Vitality Extortion standing there-with new uniforms. She gasped on seeing them.  
  
Their new uniforms began with a horizontal metal headband. There was a black earphone on their right ear for receiving messages and a black microphone that extended from it to just in front of their mouths-for sending out messages. From the left side of the headband protruded a plastic transparent eyepiece of a different colour for each deploy. Kuiper's was blue, Spica's purple, and Telesto's red- their primary colours. Underneath their battlecostume they wore a sleeveless shirt that was of a lighter shade of their primary colour. Over that, they wore a loose short sleeved jacket of their primary colour. The shirts had a high neck that had lining around the top and down the middle to the bottom where the lining then followed the bottom. The lining also followed the edges of the sleeves and up under the arm, then down the sides to meet with the rest of the lining at the bottom. The lining was of their secondary colour- Spica's black, Telesto's grey, and Kuiper's white. Over the jacket they had white chest armour that protected their chests only and a belt that criss- crossed across their chests with the Goadbwa logo on a special patch on it. They had a belt with the Goadbwa logo on the clasp, and pants of a darker shade than their primary colour. They had white boots that went halfway up their shins with flaps and brown lacing. They had knee and elbow pads, and wrist-length gloves of the primary colour. From their belts hung gun holsters with a gun and dagger sheaths with daggers in them. On their left forearms were high-tech Beyblade shooters, strapped to their arms like bayonets, winder and all.  
  
"So it was you three that were following me!"  
  
"That's right," Spica replied.  
  
"But...I thought your soul was taken, Spica!"  
  
"It was, but Goadbwa gave me a cloned soul. It's so good to be on Goadbwa's side, but you wouldn't know that, because you work for Biovolt- which we're going to destroy!"  
  
"How can you three expect to bring down Biovolt by yourselves?"  
  
Bang!  
  
Lutka stared in fear at Kuiper, who had just fired his gun near her head. "Like that."  
  
"Now make it easy for us, won't you, Lutka, and tell us where Boris is," Telesto said with a disgusted, condensing look.  
  
"Why do you want to know that?"  
  
Spica placed her hands akimbo and rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Lutka! You'd think a smart Head Scientist like yourself could see the answer to that. To kill him."  
  
"Kill him?!"  
  
Telesto smirked and folded his arms. "Of course. He's the President, and so once he's gone, Biovolt will fall without a leader."  
  
"Well, we have a Vice President. Voltaire, Kai's grandfather."  
  
Vitality Extortion looked at each other in confusion. "Gilepse never told us that."  
  
"Yeah, I thought only Goadbwa had a VP."  
  
"Well, anyway, do you really think that Voltaire'll get you out of the fire?"  
  
"Yes, and if not, Irina will rise to the challenge."  
  
"Why are we wasting our time talking about who will take over as president for Boris?! Lutka, spill it! Where's Balkov?"  
  
Lutka scowled. "I don't know."  
  
Spica glowered even more. "Then at least hand over the Hilanovs' blades."  
  
"No."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"No," Lutka repeated.  
  
Telesto advanced on her and waved an accusing finger at her. "Look, Mrs, Romanov-"  
  
"Who cares about her?" Kuiper cried as he knocked Lutka out of the way of the control room door. Lutka fell to the floor as the three ran in and knocked over the glass cases containing Fovular, Dranzer and Wolborg.  
  
Spica and Telesto made off right away, but Kuiper stopped on the way out to mock her. "We'll be on our way, now. Oh! And don't tell anyone else in Biovolt, or you'll be hearing from us."  
  
"In a postcard!" Telesto added just before he exited the room.  
  
Once Kuiper had left the room, Lutka pulled out a walkie-talkie from her belt. "Oh yeah? Watch me!"  
  
"Irina! Irina! Can you hear me?"  
  
Irina whirled around to face the walkie-talkie on the counter. She rushed over and picked it up. "Yes, Lutka. What is it?"  
  
"Intruders! In the Abbey! It's Vitality Extortion! Tell Boris and the rest of the Abbey-but warn them to be careful-they're armed! And tell Boris to be especially precautionary- they're out to kill him on Gilepse's orders! Block them off at the main doors!"  
  
"Right!" Irina hurried over to the doorway and picked up the receiver of the phone that hung on the wall to serve as a PA system throughout the Abbey. "Intruders! Intruders! Everyone to the main hall! Kai, Tala, Sarah- you're needed!"  
  
"It's a good thing we haven't changed, yet," Sarah said after hearing the announcement her mother had made.  
  
"Speak for yourself!" Tala and Sarah heard Kai say in frustration from the other side of the room.  
  
Tala hastened to put his gloves, boots, belt, and armour back on while Sarah refastened the metal clasp on her gloves. She ran to the door and stood there waiting for the two boys. Tala jogged up a few seconds later, and thirty seconds after that Kai grabbed his belt and gloves, then hopped halfway across the room trying to put his left boot on. Once it was securely on his foot, he threw his belt around his waist and fastened it, then ran out the door right past Sarah and Tala. He tried to put his gloves on as he ran towards the staircase that led to the main floor.  
  
"Shoot! Obviously that Tala and Anya get their stubbornness from their mother! She ratted on us!" Kuiper exclaimed, looking up at the speaker on the ceiling of the main hall.  
  
Vitality Extortion froze as red lights flashed and an alarm sounded. They saw Irina first appear in the doorway followed by a few trainees. "Seize them!" Irina cried, pointing at them and signalling to the trainees.  
  
The trainees made a dive for them, but Vitality Extortion turned around and headed for the door, only to be blocked off by more trainees. Spica pulled out her gun immediately and pointed it at one particularly innocent looking trainee, who began to shiver and stare in fear.  
  
Telesto and Kuiper glanced at her. "Spica! Surely you wouldn't...they're just... children!" Telesto exclaimed.  
  
"So what? Kids and adults are all alike. We're all human, aren't we?" Spica snapped.  
  
Telesto and Kuiper were still edgy about the concept. They turned around again with worried looks to see that more Biovolt trainees and members had gathered, including Boris.  
  
"Get them!" Irina cried again.  
  
"No," Boris said, holding his arm out to bar their way.  
  
Irina turned to him. "Why, sir?"  
  
"Because." Boris stepped forward, away from the throng. He advanced on the three, Spica raising her gun to him shakily. Boris stood towering over her and placed his hand on the end of the gun pointing to him calmly. He lowered it slowly and glared at the frightened Spica in front of him. Everyone in the room stared in bewilderment.  
  
Boris clasped his hands behind his back and continued to eye Spica. "Now. What is it you want from Biovolt?"  
  
"W-well...I...uh...Mr. Balkov, sir..." Spica stammered.  
  
"We were sent by Gilepse to steal the Fovular, Wolborg, and Dranzer blades and to kill you, Boris!" Kuiper burst out as he drew his gun from its holster in his belt and shot it at Boris.  
  
The bullet hit Boris' chest head-on, but Boris didn't seem to feel it at all. He continued to stare at Kuiper, whom he had turned to as the bullet fell from his chest and hit the stone floor. Everyone stared in trepidation and shock at either the bullet or Boris. After a few moments of watching Boris they saw that blood wasn't even appearing on Boris' black turtleneck.  
  
There was stunned silence and tension as Kai, Tala, and Sarah ran in, Kai still adjusting his glove. "What happened?!" Sarah cried.  
  
"They have your Beyblades!" Lutka explained, panting and pointing at Vitality Extortion as she hurried up to them from the staircase to the basement.  
  
"They do, do they?" Tala asked mockingly.  
  
"I'm sure I heard a gunshot..." Kai said, trailing off.  
  
"You did," Boris informed, turning his head slowly to look at them. "Kuiper shot me."  
  
"What?!" Sarah screeched, her eyes filling with anger and fear. She growled and tensened, then charged head-long at Kuiper, fists flailing about. She brought him to the ground, pummelling him.  
  
Telesto placed his finger on the mini microphone in front of his mouth that was attached to his headband and eyepiece. "Reinforcements!"  
  
Almost instantly, the main doors were flung open, knocking the trainees that were standing there aside. Sarah froze in mid-punch and scrutinized something black, blue, and red on the floor underneath the men that were now marching in. Once the men had ceased and they were all inside the main hall, Sarah gasped. "They've killed Vladimir!"  
  
All the Biovolt members turned their heads to the inert, prone cadaver on the top step. It was Vladimir, the Biovolt guard, all right. His uniform was covered in blood, obviously he had been shot to death-like Boris should have been.  
  
"He was in our way," Spica said with a smirk and a shrug.  
  
"You!" Sarah cried as she leapt up from Kuiper, who was struggling to get up and grimacing on the floor.  
  
"Sarah! Calm down!" Tala exclaimed as she made a dive for Spica.  
  
"Give me back my Dranzer!" Kai yelled as he tackled Kuiper to the ground once more, trying to pry Dranzer from Kuiper's hand.  
  
Tala sighed, shook his head and then took his gun shooter out. He pointed it at Telesto. "Hand over my blade, or I shoot."  
  
Telesto mimicked the action. "In case you haven't noticed, I can shoot, too."  
  
"Irina! Where are the others?" Boris asked.  
  
"Should I go get them, sir?"  
  
"Yes." Irina left on his command.  
  
As Sarah lunged at Spica, Spica unsheathed her dagger and held it out at Sarah. Sarah saw the action and tried to move out of the way, but the dagger grazed her shoulder, the blade shearing the tough green fabric of the vest to make the silver jumpsuit visible. Sarah observed the laceration before grabbing a hold of Spica's left hand, the one with Fovular in it. Sarah took Spica's arm and twisted it. Spica screamed and sunk the dagger into Sarah's right shoulder to make her let go.  
  
This time, the cut went deeper and sheared both layers including Sarah's skin. The wound began to bleed as Sarah screamed and pulled away, having pried her Beyblade from Spica's grip. Sarah held her shoulder wound a moment but then hurried out of the room as Spica gave chase to her. They both left the room.  
  
Meanwhile, Kai and Kuiper were engaged in a similar style of combat. As Kai tried to get Dranzer out of Kuiper's grasp, Kuiper used his knife to stab at Kai's hand, Kai letting out a yell and flinching on each impact.  
  
It was pure dogged determination that kept Kai going, ignoring the pain from the bleeding wound and trying even harder to liberate Dranzer. Finally, Dranzer shot free and into his hand. Kai pushed himself of the ground, away from the struggle with Kuiper. He tried to step away, but Kuiper grabbed his foot and he stumbled and fell back onto the ground.  
  
"Get the trainees away from here and somewhere safe!" Boris instructed authoritatively.  
  
Irina and Lutka shooed the trainees away and to the basement stairs. They led them to the training room in the basement, and when Boris tried to follow them, he saw that the men were pursuing him. He knew that wouldn't be good for the trainees and so he went in the direction opposite the trainees, leaving Kai, Tala, Telesto, and Kuiper in the main hall all by themselves. Swiftly, he whirled around and pulled out a gun. He fired and brought down one Goadbwa.  
  
Tala and Telesto still hadn't moved-they were still glaring at each other, guns held out, poised to shoot. In one swift move, Telesto cocked the trigger and the gun fired, right at Tala. The bullet penetrated Tala's uniform, specifically the green vest and white jumpsuit underneath. There was a loud clanking sound as the bullet impacted Tala's chest and then dropped to the floor in front of him.  
  
Telesto stared in horror at the purply oxblood liquid that made its way out through the hole in Tala's chest. Tala looked down at the aperture and then back up at Telesto, who had his eyes fixed on Tala's chest. Even Kai and Kuiper had ceased their fighting momentarily to watch the other two- especially Tala. Telesto, having recovered a little from the sight of the gore, fired again, this time at Tala's leg. It hit Tala high on the leg, almost at the torso, but just as before, the bullet had ricocheted off him with a loud, "clunk!"  
  
Tala lowered his gun slowly and then waited for Telesto to lower his. The brown-haired boy did so, still mesmerized by the wounds, and that's when Tala struck. He fired the gun directly at Telesto's leg. Then, since Tala felt hardly any pain from his wounds, he made a run for it as Telesto sank to the ground, holding the bulletwound and crying out in pain. On seeing that, Kai and Kuiper resumed their fistfight, Kai throwing the first blow to Kuiper's face. As Kuiper tried to recover, Kai threw Kuiper off him and got up.  
  
He fit his Dranzer blade to his new red gun shooter and aimed at Kuiper. "Come on, get up."  
  
Kuiper rolled over onto his back and propped himself up with his arm.  
  
Kai fired the blade, not waiting for his opponent. "Go, Dranzer!"  
  
Tala turned swiftly and ran through the corridors of the Abbey, looking for Sarah and Spica. He turned through labyrinth hallways yelling, "Sarah! Where are you?"  
  
He rounded one blind corner on the first floor and ran right into someone. The person caught him and prevented him from falling backward. Tala looked straight and saw himself staring at a uniformed chest. He glanced upward and at the person gripping his shoulders firmly. "Tala!"  
  
Tala recognized the boy right away as Sarah's brother, Samson. Tala pulled away from Samson's grip. "Where's Sarah?"  
  
Samson retracted his arms to his side. "I don't know. Why? Has something happened?"  
  
Tala glanced around anxiously. "Yes. She ran out of the main hall with Spica in tow. The two are trying to kill each other and the last time I saw them, Spica was succeeding."  
  
"I'll say it again, I don't know- but whatever you do, be careful. There are Goadbwa deploys around every corner. Judy's been able to track and count about fifty of them within the Abbey's vicinity. Oh, and if you need any help or anything, go to the labyrinth halls. Kieran's stationed by the doors ready to assist."  
  
Tala went around Samson and into the corridor perpendicular to the dark one that he had just been in. "Right, then. Thank you."  
  
Samson headed down the corridor that Tala had come from. "I'll keep my eyes out for her." The two turned away from each other and began to jog, but Samson whirled back around and called out to Tala. "Tala! One more thing- where's Kai?"  
  
"In the main hall with Kuiper."  
  
"Then what about Telesto? Shouldn't you be fighting him?"  
  
"I was, but then I took advantage of letting him recover from his wound while going to help elsewhere."  
  
Samson looked down at the floor and then nodded slowly. Then he looked back up again and waved to Tala, dismissing him. Tala waved back and continued down the enlightened corridor.  
  
When he came to the end, there was a four-way junction. He observed all three opposing corridors and then heard a scream come from the one on his right. He quickly turned and ran down it, but then ducked into a classroom doorway as two figures came into view at the end of the hallway ten metres away from around another corner. He saw that the two figures were Spica and Sarah.  
  
Sarah was dragging Spica along the stone floor-both covered in blood. Spica seemed unconscious, so why was Sarah doing that?  
  
Tala came out of the recess in the wall and hied over to the two girls. He stopped at Sarah's side. "What are you doing?!" he cried in a whisper.  
  
Sarah stopped walking backwards but held on to Spica as she turned to Tala. "Dragging Spica out of the Abbey..." she panted, exhausted. Her hair was undone, all frazzled and she had numerous wounds on her arms and legs.  
  
"Why are you doing that?"  
  
"Because I don't want her waking up and then causing havoc in the Abbey again."  
  
Tala grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away from Spica so that she let go. "Look-if you're going to be a warrior, you have to learn to be ruthless. You don't pick your enemy up after they've fallen, you run for your life! Have you heard of a man called Rasputin?"  
  
"Yes, wasn't he the advisor to the tsar and tsaritsa of Russia? And the tsarevitch, Alexei's miraculous healer?"  
  
"Yes! He was stabbed in the stomach, poisoned with cyanide, shot in the head three times, beaten up, thrown in ice-cold waters, and still he wasn't dead!"  
  
"What does that have to do with me dragging Spica?"  
  
Tala grabbed her arm and pulled her away and down the corridor. "What if Spica springs back up and tries to attack you?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"You don't do anything except die, now move it! Follow me."  
  
Sarah followed after him reluctantly, Tala having to pull her along. They came to the 4-way junction as Tala heard voices and footsteps coming from the hall in front of them. Tala then saw some of the Goadbwa deploys come into view, and so he took a turn down the perpendicular hall to the right, hauling Sarah behind him.  
  
The deploys had obviously noticed him, as they called out, "Hey! There's Tala and Sarah!"  
  
"Get them!" After which they gave chase to the two down the corridor they had taken.  
  
Tala led Sarah into a turn that the deploys hadn't seen as they were still turning a corner. The passages became rather confusing in this area, so the deploys didn't know where to go. They decided to go straight ahead, the direction Tala and Sarah hadn't gone in.  
  
Once the men had passed, Tala moved Sarah deeper into the hallway. He leaned her against the stone wall and then took a rest to examine his wounds-something he hadn't but should have done.  
  
Tala ran his hand along his chest, wiping the blood away from the injury. Once he took his hand away, he saw something normal humans don't see. He saw metal; a component of an automata cyborg.  
  
He glanced down at his leg and saw that the blood had flowed all down his legs and had also been transferred to the other one from all the running. He could see through his ripped uniform the tin pet that now served as his skeleton. 'What has Boris done to me?'  
  
"Tala..."  
  
Tala looked up.  
  
Sarah leaned forward a little, eyes half-closed, mouth open slightly. Her eyes widened ever so slightly on seeing Tala's wounds, but she still had the same pained and drowsy expression. "What... happened?"  
  
"Kuiper shot me."  
  
Sarah pulled away from the wall, faster this time, fists clenched and anger beginning to show in her bluish-green eyes.  
  
Tala threw his hands to her shoulders and pushed her back against the wall. "There's no reason to get angry-I'm okay. Please-don't hurt yourself more than you already are. My wounds are less serious than yours, and Boris can always repair me-he can't do that to a real human body such as your own."  
  
Sarah continued to glare at him, the fury still raging inside. She examined the vast expanse of sky blue in his eyes. It was like gazing at the skies, cloudwatching once again with the Celestial Myriad... The good old days when there was no war and all there was to worry about was whether or not they'd lose their next match...not their life. The only thing about these skies was that they were cloudless, just blue like water. Only this water showed emotion in its colour-worry, sadness, and...fear. Fear wasn't an emotion that you would normally see in the eyes of a Biovolt trainee. No, Biovolt trainees were trained to be ruthless warriors, not compassionate, kind-hearted young children. The expectations were also supposed to be enhanced in the trainee that stood before her. As Biovolt's greatest genetically engineered Beyblading warrior, he was supposed to have next to no emotions at all, especially factoring in that the boy in front of her was a cyborg.  
  
"Hey! It's like a maze in here!"  
  
"I told you to let me lead, but did anyone listen? No!"  
  
"Oh, zip it! I've had just about enough of your constant babbling!"  
  
Tala turned his eyes away from Sarah and to the hall entrance behind him. He couldn't see anyone because of the bend, but he knew that the Goadbwa deploys were there-he could hear them. He turned back to Sarah, who stared back at him blankly, not seeming to know what was going on.  
  
Tala turned his head down the hall in the direction opposite the entrance. He saw the recess in the corridor where the exit door was. Kieran would be waiting there, ready to help, Samson had said. Tala trusted that this be true.  
  
He turned back to Sarah. "The deploys are back."  
  
"I can hear."  
  
He gazed deeply into those green eyes, which he found so beautiful. "Your brother said that Kieran is just down the hall in the exit doorway that leads to the outside of the Abbey. He'll be there to help you. Stay with him until you're told otherwise while I go head of the deploys."  
  
Sarah nodded slowly and tried to leave Tala's grasp, but he held her against the wall firmly. She looked at him with the expression of a poor townspeasant about to be whipped. She saw Tala's intense scowl.  
  
Then the scowl became the same as her expression. "Please-be careful."  
  
"Yes." Sarah replied again, and made a second attempt to liberate herself but to no avail.  
  
Tala gripped her shoulders more tightly, his blood on his gloves staining her vest. He continued to stare at her, trying to hold back the tears that tried to force their way through. Trying to suppress them only made him squeeze harder, making Sarah flinch slightly. His fingers bit deeper into her shoulders.  
  
Tala was deeply thinking in his mind... 'What do I do? What do I do? To do or not to do? That's the question!'  
  
Tala shook his head back and forth slightly, then stopped and began to bring his head closer to Sarah's, a look of disgust on his face. 'Boris'll never approve of this...'  
  
He slowly loosened his grip on her right shoulder and let his hand, with a mind of its own, crawl up her neck and to the back of her head. As leaned in closer and closer, he found that his left hand was pulling Sarah closer and closer. After what seemed like an eternity of drawing closer, they made contact. He could feel that his left hand was digging into her scalp, but she didn't seem to notice it. She didn't seem to notice that the whole ordeal was going on. Her arms were hanging loosely at her sides, not responding to what he was doing.  
  
Sarah felt Tala's hand then roam up her neck and to her cheek. She felt some warm, comparatively thick liquid that was left behind as he ran his hand along her jawline and to her chin. His lips were surprisingly soft for one made of metal. She could feel his mouth moving slowly against hers. She had been relatively reluctant up to this point, but now felt that she should contribute. She raised her hands torpidly, coiling them around his neck.  
  
Tala felt himself being pulled closer-body wise. He perceived the tightness of her uniform against his chest. They remained frozen like that for a couple of seconds before embracing to full extent, and then releasing.  
  
Sarah let her hands flop to her side and Tala took his hand away from the back of her head. He kept his hand on her chin, though, so that when she looked down at the ground and sighed almost immediately, he pulled her head back up again. They gazed into one another's eyes again, both with pained expressions.  
  
"I love you," Tala divulged in a whisper. "I've loved since we were young and innocent in the Abbey so many years ago. Not as strongly then, but they were definitely feelings that I felt for no other."  
  
He paused, as if expecting a reply from her. There was silence, so he continued. "If this is the last time I see you alive, I want to at least make it memorable."  
  
She didn't reply.  
  
"If you have nothing to say, I'll be on my way, then," he trailed off, feeling quite discouraged after having gone through that and not being able to hear those three little words that meant so much at the moment.  
  
He loosened his grip on her and turned away, towards the corridor where the deploys were. He was about to round the turn, feeling she wouldn't say anything when he heard her voice call out to him. "Tala...Th- thank you. What I'd do without you, I don't know. For all you've done for me, I owe you a debt worthy of my life."  
  
Tala didn't turn around to face her. He didn't even reply, feeling anger now beginning to surge from the depths inside of him. He commenced stepping forward when her voice halted him again. "Tala...I...I love you."  
  
Tala froze in mid-step. He felt the anger drain from his heart. He smiled a smile of relief, then breathed in and out deeply but didn't turn to show her. He felt happy, blissful and...proud. Without another word or adieu, he took off down the corridor.  
  
Sarah watched and waited for him to be out of eyeshot and then staggered down the corridor, not towards Kieran, but towards the direction that Tala had taken.  
  
Tala bounded through the corridor towards the junction. When he came to it however, he collided with someone. Tala was thrown against the ground from the immense weight and strength of his opponent. He groaned as he rubbed his head and looked up warily to see Spencer looming before him.  
  
Spencer stared in horror that you couldn't really see, but Tala was able to tell since he had known him for so long. Spencer had his white eyes glued to his captain's chest and legs. "T-Tala?"  
  
Tala got up slowly and stood before Spencer. "What?"  
  
"What happened?" Spencer asked, raising his gaze to meet Tala's eyes.  
  
"I was shot, but I'm fine." Tala reached into his belt and pulled out his blue gun. "Come on. Let's go get revenge against Goadbwa." He said as he examined his shooter. He shifted hands with the gun in them, noting the dark blackish-red blood that was left on the handle.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" Spencer queried, reloading his gun and holding it across his chest like a shoulder.  
  
Tala looked up at him. "Sure. It's just a little wound."  
  
Spencer and Tala both turned quickly as they heard Telesto's voice come from the corridor on Spencer's left. Spencer whirled around and into the corridor he had just come from. He hid in the blind corner and motioned for Tala to hide around the corner of the corridor across from him. Tala obliged and moved to the hall opposite Spencer's.  
  
Spencer poked his head around the corner, careful not to be seen. He saw Telesto heading a group of deploys towards them about 20 metres away.  
  
"That's funny..."  
  
Spencer glanced at Tala, who had a confused expression on his face. "What is it?" Spencer whispered.  
  
Tala flashed a quick glance at Spencer and then back at the Goadbwa deploys. "I would've thought that Telesto wouldn't have been able to recover from a lesion like that. He was sure making a fuss about it a while ago..."  
  
"Oh. Well, here they come. We'll get 'em this time."  
  
Tala and Spencer both gripped their guns tighter in anticipation. Their targets still weren't close enough yet, and seeing the weaponry that their opponents had created something that only added to the tension.  
  
Then they finally came into shooting range; ten metres. Tala and Spencer leapt out in front of the fifteen or so deploys and pulled the triggers on their guns. Telesto, who as at the front, gasped in fear and froze. A few of the sunglassed deploys also gasped. Instead of making for a retreat, they also froze. Two fell to the ground, throwing their heads back abruptly and then collapsing. Crimson red liquid was thrown against the walls of the corridor. It splattered and stained against the stone bricks.  
  
One deploy, who had evaded the first volley, raised his gun and aimed for Spencer.  
  
Bang!  
  
The deploy fell to the ground along with three others. Telesto whirled around as Tala and Spencer looked up to see the Bladebreakers standing there.  
  
"Ooh. That's going to leave a terrible stain," Max taunted.  
  
"That's right, Maxi. What do you say, Telesto? Care to add to our sanguinary piece of artwork?" Kai affixed.  
  
Telesto stared in fear at all of the Biovolt deploys surrounding him. He pointed to the two Demolition Boys and the Bladebreakers. "G-get them, you fools!" he ordered in a shaky voice to the nine deploys left.  
  
The deploys formed a tight circle around Telesto, holding their guns out and ready to shoot if any of the Biovolt legion made a move.  
  
"Shoot!" shouted a voice from behind Tala and Spencer.  
  
The Goadbwa deploys facing that direction shot as six bullets flew through the air, four taking down deploys and two ricocheting off walls. The voice had belonged to Philemon, who stood there with a gun in hand along with Elvin, Oliver, Kevin, Steve, and Ian.  
  
The four remaining deploys formed a tighter circle around Telesto, being careful not to trip over the red and black carcasses of their former allies. With a whole horde of Biovolt Beybladers up against them, the Goadbwa deploys weren't feeling so cocky anymore.  
  
"Here are your options," Kai began.  
  
"1- Surrender and leave the Abbey yourselves," Philemon said.  
  
"2- Persist and allow us to execute you," Oliver added.  
  
"Or 3- Make us drive you out alive." Tala finished.  
  
Telesto scowled and ground his teeth. "What do you take me for? We're not surrendering!"  
  
"That narrows down your choices then, doesn't it?" Elvin asked mockingly.  
  
Telesto growled. "Hmph. Fine then. Come on, guys."  
  
"And stay out!" Tyson shouted as Telesto, Kuiper, and some of the deploys were thrown out of the Abbey.  
  
Kuiper glanced towards his blood-covered partner. "Where's Spica?"  
  
"Don't know. I lost sight of her once she ran out with Sarah."  
  
"Telesto! Kuiper!" the two boys heard over their earphones like an exasperated whisper.  
  
"Spica?" The two questioned.  
  
"Yeah, it's me. I'm still in Balkov Abbey. Everyone thinks that all the Goadbwa deploys are outside, little do they know of my presence, though. Re-enter the Abbey, but don't bring any of the deploys with you."  
  
"Right," the two answered in unison.  
  
Kuiper turned to the surviving deploys. "Go back to Goadbwa HQ. We'll meet you there."  
  
"Where's Sarah?" Boris asked, looking up and down the line of Beybladers.  
  
Tala and Kai glanced around along with the Celestial Myriad. "I don't know..." Kai replied, trailing off.  
  
"Where's Kieran?" Tala grilled.  
  
"Right here," he said, waving from the end of the line. "Why?"  
  
Tala leapt out of line to face Kieran. "She was with you!"  
  
Kieran was obviously confused. "She was?"  
  
"Yes! Or she should have been...Don't tell me she didn't listen!"  
  
"I'd say she didn't listen. She's stubborn, and only ever takes orders from adults," Elvin mentioned.  
  
Tala growled and clenched his teeth. 'You'd think she'd have listened to me...' he said to himself.  
  
"She could be anywhere in the Abbey," Mariah suggested, slight worry in her voice.  
  
"And if I remember, wasn't she supposed to be severely hurt?" Rhea questioned.  
  
"What if there are still Goadbwa deploys lurking inside the Abbey?" Anya suggested fearfully.  
  
"Stop it! Just stop it!"  
  
Everyone turned to Tala, who had his head down. "We...we have to go...and...find her."  
  
Just then a scream pierced the air of the Abbey. "Give it back! Get out, you cretins!"  
  
"Vocabulary usage," Elvin began.  
  
"Definitely Sarah," Eva finished.  
  
Tala dashed out of the room like a bolt of lightning. Kai streaked out a moment later.  
  
"Sarah? Sarah! Where are you? Oh please say something, anything!" Tala exclaimed, his yells echoing through the empty halls of the Abbey.  
  
Kai stepped up behind Tala and glanced around the three-way junction that Tala had paused at. "If she's unconscious, she won't answer, Tala."  
  
"Don't you think I know that? Besides, don't think of such terrible things."  
  
Kai stopped in mid-step and glared Tala in the eye. "I'm just stating a possibility-there's no need to get so worked up over it. You have to stop living in your perfect fantasy world, Tala. This is no longer a game where you can start over. Once you lose, you lose forever."  
  
Tala narrowed his eyes at the blue-haired boy. "I know that. Stop treating me like a little kid."  
  
Another scream rent the air. Kai turned his head his the direction his body was turned in. "Over there!"  
  
He took off down the corridor with Tala in tow. They came to another 4-way junction and surveyed each hallway. Tala ran down one until he came to the first bend; and turned to the right. He drew his handgun from its holster as he ran, and pointed it straight ahead as he stopped to turn the corner. He glanced down at the floor and froze, eyes wide with fear. He lowered the gun with a quivering hand. He gulped, his heart pounding in his chest. "K-Kai..." he said quietly.  
  
Kai turned his head from the direction he was facing in and towards Tala. He saw Tala at the turn in the corridor. He saw Tala throw the gun to the side, drop to his knees and lean forward, spreading out his arms as if embracing something. "What is it?" Kai asked as he took a few slow steps forward.  
  
Kai gaited down the dark corridor with cautious steps. When he came to the bend, he turned slowly to see Tala leaning over something. Kai's eyes widened just as Tala's had. "Oh... my...gosh..."  
  
There lay Sarah, unconscious and in a pool of blood. Kai glanced from Tala to Sarah, Tala reaching his quaking hand out slowly and then stroking her cheek with slender digits while drawing sharp, choked breaths.  
  
"Is...she..."  
  
"I don't think... It can't be... She wouldn't..." Tala took his hand away and sat back on his haunches. He sighed.  
  
Kai moved around Tala and knelt beside Sarah. He eased his hands behind her head and lifted her up, supporting her torso by placing his arm over and around her chest. As he did so, blood dripped from her clothes and hair. It stained his gloves. He examined her closed eyes for a moment or two. "Check her pulse."  
  
Tala reached out and then pulled back, not really knowing what to do. He figured her heart would be in her chest, and therefore that would be the best place to feel. He reached out again, only to be scolded by Kai.  
  
"Not there! On her neck!"  
  
"Oh. Sorry..." Tala withdrew his hand quickly and reached out to her neck. With two fingers, he touched the left side of her throat.  
  
"There's no pulse there. Feel the right side."  
  
Tala exchanged hands and lay the same two fingers on the right side of her throat.  
  
"That's it. Just feel around until you get it..." Kai coached, watching him closely.  
  
Tala stopped at what felt like a pulse. "There it is...I think..."  
  
"How fast is it?"  
  
Tala tapped out the speed on his leg. It was quite slow.  
  
"Tala! Did you find her?" Tala turned his head to see Boris rushing towards them from down the corridor.  
  
Tala nodded solemnly. Boris came up behind Tala and turned to see the two attempting to nurse her. The sight even made Boris feel sympathy. "Here...I'll take her to the infirmary. You two go get changed. We're scanning the Abbey now for any signs of foreign matter."  
  
With that Boris knelt down and took her from Kai's arms. He lifted her up easily in his outstretched arms. The blood she had been soaked in poured and drained onto the floor. The carmine liquid stained his white gloves and the arms of his green trenchcoat.  
  
He commenced down the corridor, Tala and Kai standing up and following closely behind him. Boris turned to go in one direction at the junction and Kai and Tala turned to go in the other. "Oh-" Boris' voice made them pause and turn around. "And take a shower, too. Then go straight to the infirmary."  
  
"Boris!" The red-haired and blue-haired boys looked to see Samson rushing towards Boris, calling his name. He gasped on seeing his immobile younger sister. "Wh-what in the world...?"  
  
"I'll talk later. Meanwhile, Samson, I need you to organize a major cleanup and disinfection of the Abbey. I don't really want to turn every corner and see dead bodies with flies and maggots around them. Besides, the smell is beginning to make me sick. Hurry, before the insects set in."  
  
"Yes, sir." Samson made a quick salute and then hurried down the hall.  
  
"And Samson-"  
  
"Yes, Uncle?"  
  
"Get changed first."  
  
"Will do, Uncle Boris."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ooh. Definitely not suitable for children! All gory! BLOOD! BLOOD! BLOOD! I'm not very good at those dramatic love scenes, am I? Anyway, REVIEW! Or you shall certainly meet the same fate as the Goadbwa deploys... MWAHAHAHA! 


	15. Infiltrate Annihilate

14. Infiltrate, Annihilate  
  
"Are you sure we should carry out with these plans to infiltrate Goadbwa, sir?" Lutka asked, shifting through papers.  
  
"I don't see why not," Boris replied simply. He continued to stare at the sky above the Abbey courtyard. Rain pattered against the window, emanating from a blood-red sky, as if it had absorbed the crimson liquid that had been shed throughout the day.  
  
"I think what Lutka means to say is that their injuries may not heal in time," Nigel said.  
  
Boris turned away from the window of the infirmary and to the beds where his deploy warriors lay. He didn't reply.  
  
He watched as Emily undressed a gash on Kai's hand and turned to Kenny, who was standing behind her with Dizzi open. Kenny made Dizzi take a digital picture of the laceration and then examine it.  
  
"Quite a nasty one, Chief." Reported the laptop. "But I have good news, despite that."  
  
Kenny beamed. "Okay, then. Let's hear it, Dizzi."  
  
"However, I also have bad news."  
  
Emily glanced downward at Kenny, a worried look on her features. "It can't be that bad..."  
  
"I'll start with the bad news first. Kai's lesions along with Tala and Sarah's are very serious and life threatening. It would be unlikely that they'd survive, since such deep gashes excreted so much blood. However, for some reason that I don't know the answer to, nor can I figure out, their wounds are healing much faster than that of the average human. They're taking about one third of the normal time it would take. Maybe even a quarter!"  
  
Emily glanced at Kai and then back at Dizzi's monitor. "And you're saying you have no reasonable explanation for this?"  
  
"Unless you do."  
  
Emily examined Kai's wound a little closer and then took her head away.  
  
"Another strange thing is that they seem to have an infinite amount of blood."  
  
Emily and Kenny looked at Rhea, who sat at Kai's bedside, bandaging a laceration to his upper arm. Emily had barely noticed her there while fiddling with Kai's forearm-she had been so still and quiet.  
  
"An infinite amount of blood?" Kenny repeated questionably.  
  
Rhea cast her gaze down to her sleeping brother. "Yes, that's right. Haven't you noticed that they've been losing so much of it, and they're still not dead? Their blood levels have stayed roughly the same."  
  
"Rhea's right. They've lost more than half of their full blood supply since the bleeding began," Emily said.  
  
"Kenny, Emily-"  
  
The two turned to see Boris approaching them. "I would like you two to start reconstruction of all blades and shooters right away. Go see Mr. Tate-he'll help you."  
  
Kenny closed his laptop. "Yes, sir." The two chanted before rushing out of the infirmary and into the control room.  
  
"Oh my poor brother..."  
  
Samson raised his head to see Anya fussing over Tala. "Look at all the wounds he's suffering from..." she whimpered.  
  
Samson rolled his eyes and continued to hold a compress to Sarah's head. That's when Anya looked up and saw the action. "Samson! Dare you show disrespect for my brother?"  
  
Samson glared back at her with a bored and disgusted look on his face. "You show disrespect for him. Goodness knows how much he gets of that."  
  
Anya stroked Tala's forehead lovingly. "But of course, I'm allowed to do that. I'm his relative."  
  
Samson scowled at her. "Yeah? Well no matter how many injuries Tala's suffering from, he wasn't found unconscious and in a pool of blood, probably mutilated by some unknown assassins."  
  
Anya huffed. She couldn't counter that without being absolutely hurtful. Instead, she changed the subject so that they could bicker about something else.  
  
Boris ignored the two yelling at each other from across the room. And if it bothered the others in the room that much, they'd stop them. He saw Kieran pass by in the hallway outside the control room. "Kieran!"  
  
Kieran, who had disappeared from view, reappeared, poking his head around the corner. "Yes, sir?"  
  
"Have you finished cleaning the Abbey yet?"  
  
Kieran moved so that he stood in full view. "No, sir. All of them are just taking a little break to recover. Mariah, Michael, Enrique and Kevin say they're feeling queasy and a lot of the others are getting dizzy."  
  
"Very well, then. What have you done with the bodies?"  
  
"We've just moved them inside and to sheets in the main hall. Otherwise, nothing really. What do you want us to do with them?"  
  
"Take any Biovolt members to the basement cryogenation chambers. Throw any Goadbwa members in the river."  
  
"You mean the Volga? But what if Goadbwa wants the corpses?"  
  
Boris turned away and sighed. "Fine. But it'll be up to you to call them. I'll leave that decision to you."  
  
"Why can't we throw them in the pond?"  
  
Boris turned again. "I don't want their bodies in the pond."  
  
"They're not going to come alive and haunt you, Mr, Balkov."  
  
"I don't want them in the pond," Boris repeated, irritated and giving no further reason.  
  
Kieran could hear the anger in his tone of voice and pushed no further. "Yes, sir." He turned and left down the hall.  
  
Boris turned away once more and growled. "Goadbwa...Gilepse..." He stepped over to the infirmary room when he heard Kenny call him. He pivoted to turn the brown-haired boy.  
  
"Sarah's Beyblade isn't with the rest of them."  
  
Boris glanced inside the infirmary and glanced back at Kenny. He opened his mouth to speak then did a double take. Without replying to the boy, he dashed inside the infirmary and to Sarah's bed, where a crowd had gathered. Boris pushed his way through to get a front row seat.  
  
"Yes, Sarah...Speak to me!" Samson was saying softly as he held his sister's hand gently.  
  
Sarah screwed up her eyes as if in pain and raised her free hand in the air. "G-give it back...that's mine...Leave...leave the..."  
  
Samson leaned in closer. "What is it? What is it, Sarah? Who are you talking to?"  
  
Sarah kept her eyes shut and resumed talking to the fantasy people in her reverie. "Leave the Abbey and give it back!"  
  
"Give what back? Sarah? Wake up!" Samson pressed, jerking her slightly.  
  
Sarah lowered her hand to place it on her forehead and paused. "V- Vitality...Extortion..."  
  
"Vitality Extortion?!" Samson exclaimed. He turned to Judy who stood just behind him. "Are they still in the Abbey?"  
  
She shook her head. "No. We've scanned the Abbey three times and found nothing. They've all left."  
  
Samson lowered his head again to his sister. "Sarah...What did Vitality Extortion do?"  
  
As if she had heard him this time, she answered, "No...They took Fovular..."  
  
A gasp ran through the room to all who were listening. Tala's eyes flitted open at that moment. He sat up in the bed and observed the scene groggily. He saw the crowd, Anya on his right onlooking with surprise and the two Hiwataris on his right, blank of expression. He turned to Anya again. "What happened?"  
  
Anya cast a quick glance at him. "Oh! You're awake!" She exclaimed, throwing out her arms and grasping Tala tightly. "You're not dead!"  
  
Tala didn't move or try to free himself from her vice-like grasp-he was too weak and his head throbbed. "You sound so fake-don't let mom hear you."  
  
"I'm not being a fake! I really am happy that you're alive!" Anya cried.  
  
Tala rolled his eyes and they landed on Kai, who was now staring at him. Tala blushed and quickly looked away. He flinched from the pain of Anya's grasp. 'If only Sarah would hug me this tightly...'  
  
As if Kai had read Tala's mind, he replied to his comment. "Hah! I'd doubt that."  
  
Tala turned to Kai in disgust, now trying to break away from his sister. "Why?"  
  
Kai, who had turned his head to the throng looked back at Tala with a mischievous smirk. "Are you talking to me?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Because."  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
"You asked 'why', and the answer is because."  
  
Tala was beginning to find Kai incomprehensible. "What? You're making no sense."  
  
Kai turned back to the throng. "Because she's just woken up and she wouldn't do a thing like that."  
  
Tala scowled at him. "Hmph. Shows how much you know about her!" he almost yelled in an irritation-potent tone. He was referring to what had happened in the hall a while back-when Kai hadn't been around.  
  
Kai didn't reply and Tala went quiet as he heard his name being said.  
  
"Tala...and...Kai...They're...coming..."  
  
Derek Granger looked puzzled. "Wow...How could she have known that if she was unconscious at the time?"  
  
Boris adjusted his glasses. "I don't know. The world works in mysterious ways. This must be one of them."  
  
Rhea felt her eyes narrow as she stared at Sarah through the gap in the crowd. 'She must be clairvoyant...What if she's possessed, too? Like Kieran and I? If she is, my brother and Romanov's had better look out for her or they'll find themselves heartbroken sooner than either one may think. '  
  
The next day all three Hilanovs had recovered and were up and about the Abbey, though they were still bandaged in certain areas. Kai had been wandering around a lot, not knowing what to do with his time. Normally he would have spent it training, but his Beyblade had been confiscated for reconfiguration. He didn't want to hang out with the Bladebreakers or any other team, in fact he wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with Rhea. Unfortunately for him, Rhea wasn't very talkative, neither was she very open. He couldn't blame her-he wasn't like that, either. The two definitely hadn't earned the sociable and bubbly trait of their mother, from what he could gather about his parents' personalities.  
  
That was exactly what he wanted to talk about. His parents. Rhea would have known them better than he would since she had been older, around 8 years old at the time, while he was only 3-hardly old enough to have a full conscious understanding of what was going on around him. He didn't even know what his parents looked like. He had never seen a picture of them, and Rhea nor anyone else at the Abbey hadn't talked about them.  
  
As Kai walked down the corridor to the security and maintenance control room, he saw a door in the wall slowly creak open. It was wooden, and as he remembered, the door was in the exact location of the entrance to the Hilanov Tomb. The stone wall must have been replaced with the regular door that stood there now. He heard a voice whimpering, one he couldn't make out who it belonged to. He stared at it in wariness for a moment, afraid of what might be down there since the door had opened by itself. "Who would be down there?" he said quietly to himself as he took a few steps forward. He placed his hand on the door and opened it just enough for him to squeeze through.  
  
Kai squeezed through the crack he had made in the doorway and closed it slowly behind him. He glanced down the staircase and could still hear the whimpers. He glanced at the torches that hung in holders along the wall of the staircase and began down the steps. He stopped halfway down the staircase and looked towards the narrow corridor that led to the tomb. "Hello? Is anyone there?"  
  
No one answered, and the whimpers continued. The voice sounded vaguely like Tala's, though if indeed it was he, he doing it with a slight falsetto. And if it wasn't Tala, it could have been Sarah, but why would she be down here? And why would she be supposedly crying? She always seemed to have such a perfect, pleasant life.  
  
"Tala?" Kai called, his voice echoing around the chamber.  
  
The whimpering continued with no reply. Kai decided to continue down. He made it to the bottom of the stairs, and gaited the 5 metres to the entrance to the corridor. He scrutinized the dimly lit hall. It was slightly dark where he was, but at the end where the tomb was he saw lights. There were more torches on holders embedded in the walls. Sitting on the coffin he saw someone - hunched over and shaking slightly, sobbing.  
  
Kai couldn't quite make out who it was because of the meagre light, but he could tell that it definitely wasn't Tala. It looked more like a girl. "Who's there?"  
  
With the lack of reply, he moved forward to advance on the figure. As he stepped forward and into the threshold of the corridor, something rushed out and right past him. It flashed past him so fast and caught him by surprise, almost knocking him to the ground. He quickly turned his head to see the white ghostly silhouette zip up the staircase and out through the door at the top into the hallway. A cold breeze blew by him, chilling him to the bone, and he heard the pleased giggling of a young girl as the figure flashed past and disappeared. "What was that...?" he whispered.  
  
Kai kept his eyes fixed on where the figure had exited for a minute before turning back to the weeping figure. He commenced to take a step forward again, nothing blocking him this time. As he stepped closer to the girl, he recognized it as Sarah. Kai came up behind her silently and didn't say anything for a moment, staring with a compassionate and worried look at her. He gulped and then spoke. "Sarah?"  
  
"Go away! I don't want to hear you anymore!" she yelled, covering her ears and keeping her back to him.  
  
Kai swallowed again. "Why?"  
  
Sarah sniffed and shook her head. "I don't want to hear it! Haven't you pained me enough, already?"  
  
Kai observed the area around her. She sat on the Hilanov coffin. It was made of a whitish-grey stone, but now had red areas that glistened in the light-blood. Scattered over the stone were used, bloodstained cloth bandages. Kai could see the gashes on Sarah's arms where they must have been. He could hear her starting to cry again, drawing sharp breaths.  
  
"Why aren't you leaving? Leave me alone, Crucis!" Sarah cried.  
  
Kai let out a small sigh of relief. It wasn't him she hated. "There's a misunderstanding. I'm not Crucis." ' Whoever that is... '  
  
Sarah took her hands away from her ears and stared straight at the wall in front of her blankly. "Kai?" She turned around. Kai could see the tears that had streamed down her cheeks and the glistening in her greenish- brown eyes.  
  
"Yes...It's me, Kai..."  
  
She sighed and turned back around, her face still showing extreme displeasure and sadness. "Oh...I'm sorry about that. I thought you were..."  
  
"Crucis, I know. Who is that, anyway?"  
  
She turned back around. "I don't really know. She said that she was a spirit, one that had left the body before it died."  
  
Kai gasped.  
  
She turned to him quickly. "What is it?"  
  
Kai stared at her in fear and then glanced around nervously. "You're sure it was Crucis, right?"  
  
"Yes..." Sarah affirmed, narrowing her eyes and cocking her head to one side slightly.  
  
"Don't you remember Boris telling us about that type of soul? How some often came back to possess others? Don't you recall him saying that the 'Crucis' ghost was out for the Hiwatari family?"  
  
Sarah stared at him for a moment in confusion and then displayed a dawning expression on her face. "Oh, yeah! Now I remember! Wait-that would mean-Kai?!"  
  
Kai understood her alarm right away. "No, no, I'm not possessed and I can tell you that truthfully."  
  
Sarah took no heed of his denial. "But if Crucis left, since I don't see her anywhere around here, she took off down that way," She exclaimed as she pointed in the direction of the staircase. "And since that's the only way in, you came through there, too. She obviously met up with you, how do I know she's wasn't returning to you?"  
  
Kai remained calm despite the accusation he was receiving. "Don't you trust me?"  
  
Sarah glared at him a moment, hesitating. Then she turned away, not wanting to answer.  
  
Now Kai felt the anger rush to him. "So you're accusing me now just because of a mere piece of evidence which is completely discriminating? What if I was Tala Romanov , not Kai Hiwatari , and you had thought that Crucis left through the corridor to meet up with her possess-ee? Then what?"  
  
Sarah kept her eyes fixed on the ground. She mumbled something that Kai couldn't make out.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, 'I don't know.'" She replied with annoyance in her tone.  
  
Kai narrowed his infuriated eyes. "Why are you giving me attitude when I'm the one that's being accused? You wouldn't know what a life I face everyday. You have actual friends, happiness and power! You have parents! What do you think happened to mine? They were killed in a car crash when I was little over 3-years-old, so that I barely even knew them! You had your parents to help you through life-I didn't- and look where I am today relative to you! You think you're so great with all your accomplishments, but look where I am and without the help of others! You wouldn't know how my life has been hardened by all around me! You wouldn't know!"  
  
Sarah, who had calmed down to this point, was regaining her woe. Kai saw the tears glisten in her eyes once again. He realized the insensitivity of his actions and stepped forward. His scowl softened up as he sat down beside her on the coffin. "I'm sorry...I...just..."  
  
Sarah continued to stare at the floor, tears rolling down and off her cheeks. One landed on Kai's pants, creating a damp, darkened spot. He looked at it for a moment, feeling the warmth seep through the fabric and onto his leg. He felt something enclose around his hand and looked up at Sarah, who was looking at him. "No, Kai. It's my fault. I shouldn't have accused you like that when it's Rhea that's possessed..."  
  
Kai gave her a surprised expression. "What? How do you know that?"  
  
She turned her head away from him. "I feel a strange aura when I'm around her. And...I was also told..."  
  
"By who?"  
  
"S-someone...They can definitely sense it and told me. It's someone that's gone now...maybe forever," she said as she turned back around and made direct eye contact with Kai.  
  
"Who's that?" Kai asked, sympathy in his dark brown eyes.  
  
"Fovular...Who knows what they're doing to her at Goadbwa. I miss her so much..."  
  
Kai extricated his hand from her tightening gloved grasp. He reached out his arms and embraced her like an old, comforting friend. She leant into him, though reluctantly until ha forced it upon her. "That's okay. Don't worry-we'll get her back. If I know Boris, he won't let a creation as powerful as Fovular slip out of his grip that easily. And from what I can gather, he isn't about to roll over and admit defeat to Goadbwa, either."  
  
After holding her in silence for a minute or two, which felt rather awkward for him, he felt her arms reach out and encircle his neck. She lifted her head from being hunched over and buried in his chest to over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Kai..." she whispered in his ear. "I feel for you, I really do, and I want to help you through life-with or without your parents."  
  
The comment made something trigger in his mind. He immediately began to do something he had never really done before-cry. Without him really realizing it, tears welled up in his eyes and soon commenced flowing down his cheeks and onto Sarah's back. That only made him hold her tighter to make it stop. So here was the goodbye hug he'd missed for six years.  
  
"Here are your goals: 1, find out what Goadbwa's up to, 2, find Gilepse and bring him to me-alive, 3, retrieve Fovular, and 4, don't die." Boris instructed the Biovolt deploys within the helicopter boarding platform room. "I don't have any technology advanced contrivances for you like Goadbwa does for Vitality Extortion, but you do have state-of-the-art weaponry and Beyblades. Since you lack the digital map that Vitality Extortion had in their eyepieces, you have been given paper floor plans of Goadbwa HQ, or Galsky Castle." Boris turned to Tala and the Blade Sovereign. "If Biovolt needs to get something to you, we'll make contact through you five. It'll then be your job to find the others and tell them."  
  
The five nodded their heads slightly. Boris turned back to the rest of the group. "Right, then, we're almost there." He rotated on his heel and entered the cockpit where Leon was piloting.  
  
The deploys were silent for the duration of the trip. If one or two did happen to talk, it was in a dead whisper. Once the chopper had landed, Boris came into the loading room and told everyone to stand up from their seats along the sides of the room. They filed out one by one, exiting trough the cockpit and jumping onto the stone platform outside the headquarters.  
  
Once everyone had departed, Boris came to the door and stood poised to close it. "There you are. Infiltrate and annihilate. Don't dishonour the Biovolt Corporation!" With that, he slammed the cockpit door shut. The chopper took off from the ground and headed east to and back to Balkov Abbey.  
  
They all gawked up at the looming castle. To the right of the stone grey castle was a river. They could hear the rushing water as it flowed eastward. It had a width of about several metres and on the other side was land with lush, green grass. They observed everything from the fifty-foot castle to the intricate patterning of the stones on the ground beneath them. The stone bricks stretched about five metres around the sides and back of the castle and extended some thirty metres in front of the castle to where it made an abrupt stop where it met the grass. The castle's walls were made of a grey stone. There was a large wooden door at the front with a metal doorframe and handles. There were four towers that rose above the actual building. They each pointed in a different direction of the compass. There were spires upon the top of each tower.  
  
"Are we going to go inside or stand and gawk at it all day?" Kai asked sarcastically. Without waiting for a reply, he took a few steps forward. Everyone followed him to the door soon after.  
  
"How are we supposed to get in?" Tyson questioned innocently.  
  
"Stand back!" Crash! They all stared at the gaping hole in the door. They turned to Robert, who stood with his blackjack and a grim expression on his face. "This is what's called infiltrating," he replied simply as he stepped inside.  
  
They followed inside and turned their heads, taking in everything of the entrance hall. The circular room was rather plain, except for a large tapestry that hung on both walls, left and right of either door. Across from the entrance door there was another set of doors that probably led to the rest of the castle. They were closed right now.  
  
"It's weird. Wouldn't they have a security system, considering that they're supposed to be more advanced in technology than Biovolt?" Max pondered as he walked through the room.  
  
"Not if they have the security system off, I guess..." Ray trailed off.  
  
"Come on, guys! We'd better hurry or we'll be caught!" Kevin exclaimed, trying to pry open the door, but to no avail.  
  
Gary sauntered over slowly and placed one hand on the right door's handle, the one that Kevin was still clinging to. He jerked his hand slightly and the door opened almost effortlessly. Kevin let go and took his feet down from the door. He laughed dryly.  
  
Kevin waited as two or three of the others went through and then scurried through himself. They stood in the main hall and glanced around. There were three ways to go; left, right, and straight ahead. Mysteriously, inside these halls the walling was different. There were no more grey stone brick walls, but sandstone ones. It seemed a lot cleaner and modern than Biovolt with them.  
  
"We should split up," Johnny suggested. "We'll accomplish things a lot faster than travelling as a group."  
  
"Are you sure that's what you mean and it's not just that you don't like teamwork?" Enrique mused.  
  
Johnny narrowed his eyes at the blonde and growled.  
  
"Or maybe it's because he wants me to come looking for him if I get a message from Biovolt. You know how huge this place is? And finding a little kid like Johnny?" Anya protested, pointing to the transmitters that were stationed as hair clips, holding her half-pigtails. The transmitters were on the sides of their heads on the other three. They were positioned halfway between their ears and the tops of their heads.  
  
"A little kid?!" Johnny exclaimed. "I'll have you know-"  
  
"Stop fighting, you two!" Samson cried, placing his hands in either one's face. "We can go in groups- one with Biovolt contacts in each."  
  
"But we don't have a number divisible by five," mentioned Elvin.  
  
Samson looked around, seeing this true.  
  
"If the three Hilanovs can go together, there will be 24 of us left. There'd be four left with transmitters, and we could take five of them each," Rhea voiced.  
  
Samson stared at her blankly for a moment and then withdrew his hands. "Sure. Works for me. What say you two?"  
  
Kieran nodded as Anya folded her arms and scowled. "As long as I don't get Johnny."  
  
"Uh...sure...whatever...Sarah, Kai, Tala-why don't you go ahead of us? I think we're going to be a while. There's no point in you waiting for us, anyway."  
  
"Okay," Sarah replied as she turned. She was being unusually quiet and wanful-like Rhea. Tala and Kai glanced at her a moment before following her down the corridor on the left.  
  
"This map is so confusing!" Tala cried in frustration, turning it this way and that, trying to figure it out.  
  
"Will you keep your voice down?" Kai whispered. "They may have their system off, or they may have none at all, but that doesn't mean they're deaf or blind!"  
  
Tala folded the map and scowled murderously at Kai as they continued walking, following Sarah. They walked down the sanitary corridor for a bout a minute longer before they came to a turn. Sarah rounded it first and then threw herself against the wall. She glared towards the two boys and motioned for them to mimic the action. They did so, Kai throwing himself beside her.  
  
"What is it?" he questioned in a whisper that she could barely hear.  
  
Sarah pointed to the entrance to the room that was about a metre away from them on the wall. Light was emanating from it and they could hear voices. "We could be seen. There are people in there. Be quiet-I'm going to try to listen."  
  
She edged along the wall, closer to the entrance. Placing her head closer to the doorway, she could clearly hear what they were saying.  
  
"Yes. I've told him of the field. I even gave him a picture so that he could show the deploys. They should be training, unless he's planning a surprise attack," she heard a familiar voice say. It sounded like Gilepse.  
  
"Well, you know him. He never takes defeat easily. Neither did you, for that matter. Your ruthlessness must have rubbed off on each other." What sounded like a female voice said. Sarah didn't recognize the voice.  
  
"Who's that?" Kai whispered in her ear.  
  
She whirled around and threw a finger to her mouth to silence him.  
  
Gilepse cast a glance toward the doorway. He turned to Ophelia. "Is Spica ready?" he asked in a lower tone.  
  
Ophelia nodded.  
  
"Keep talking," Gilepse instructed and he took a walkie-talkie out of his jacket pocket. "Spica-get ready. You can commence the operation whenever you're ready." He spoke into the walkie-talkie quietly.  
  
"Yes, sir." Came the reply.  
  
Ophelia began talking again, raising her voice purposely. "Do you really think that he'll plan a surprise attack, Marduk?"  
  
A man sitting in the chair beside Gilepse answered. He wore the black uniform that the Goadbwa deploys wore. "No, Boris wouldn't do that. He doesn't have the technology to plan it!" he exclaimed and burst out laughing. The other two began to laugh, too.  
  
"Yeah-that's right! His technology is from way back when the Abbey was first built!" Ophelia added.  
  
Gilepse leaned forward. "When was that? 1000 BC?" The three burst out in laughter again. This wasn't real laughter, though. They were just trying to mock the three Biovolt deploys outside the door.  
  
Sarah scowled for a moment at their incessant laughter and then drew back from the door quickly as she heard someone get up. She motioned for the two boys to move further down the hall and followed them to hide with them around the corner. She noticed Ophelia walk out of the lounge room and in the other direction, still howling with laughter in her low, crackling voice.  
  
"Let's go. We don't have time to waste here," Kai whispered in her ear once more.  
  
She nodded and followed him down the corridor the way they had come. The two boys were in the lead, Kai studying the map and Tala glancing over his shoulder, asking a question every so often. When they came to the first junction, they heard a pair of footsteps stop. The two looked at each other, stopped themselves and turned around. It had been Sarah that had stopped, and she now stood there two metres back and staring blankly at the ground in front of her.  
  
Kai and Tala turned to each other once more and then Tala took a step forward. "Sarah? What is it?"  
  
It was like he hadn't even said anything. She made no acknowledgement what so ever.  
  
"Sarah?" Kai asked. "Is something wrong?"  
  
No response.  
  
Tala strode up to her and placed both hands on her shoulders, holding her at arm's length. She kept her head down. "Sarah? Say something!"  
  
All of a sudden, her head jerked up. Tala tried to step back in surprise but couldn't. She had been too fast and had grabbed him by the waist. She had a firm grip on the two belts that hung as he tried to pull away. She unhooked one and used it as a whip against him. Tala could now move away and shielded himself, since she had released him.  
  
Kai watched in horror as Tala tried to back away but she kept advancing on him. Kai saw the odd look in her eyes flash. They seemed cloudy, as if she was blind. Her actions didn't seem all that human, either. They were rather fast, faster than he had seen her normally move before in such circumstances. As she dealt a forceful blow to Tala's head with the metal clasp of the belt, Kai lunged forward and knocked her out of Tala's way and against the wall. He pinned both of her arms down so that she couldn't flail the belt about and held her there as she struggled to get free.  
  
"What's gotten into you?" Kai demanded.  
  
"Let me go," came the surprisingly calm reply for one who was trying with all their might to escape.  
  
"Why'd you attack Tala like that?" Kai asked again almost in a yell.  
  
"Let me go," she repeated.  
  
Kai took both of her arms and held them vertically across his chest so that she couldn't move and reached into his belt to pull out a long, glimmering object. He raised it high above his head, poised to bring it down. "Stop struggling."  
  
"What are you doing?!" Tala exclaimed as he ran over to Kai and grabbed Kai's wrist suspended in the air. "She may have attacked me, but there's no reason to kill her for it!"  
  
Kai glanced back at him. "I'm not going to kill her, just intimidate her."  
  
Tala glared at him with suspicion and worry for a moment before letting go. Kai turned back to Sarah. "Now, let's try this again. Stop struggling."  
  
She disobeyed the comment and kept on fighting his grip. She began to wriggle her hands up and out of the grasp on his chest to his neck. She wrapped her hands around his neck and tightened the grip. Kai couldn't breathe as easily anymore. He gasped for air as he brought down the dagger in his right hand. He aimed for her chest and was surprised to feel it hit something hard before hitting her body and then ricocheting off her chest. The force flung it out of his hand and landed, quivering in the opposing wall.  
  
Kai could barely breathe anymore, then suddenly, he felt relief. Tala had barrelled between the two and freed Kai's hold on her, in turn granting Kai the liberty of his neck. Kai rubbed his sore neck for a moment or two before turning to Tala. "Run, Tala! Get out of here!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"Go!"  
  
Tala faltered a moment before taking off down the corridor on the left. Kai hurried over to the opposing wall and jumped, catching a hold of his dagger and pulling it down. He surveyed Sarah who sat on the floor recovering an instant and then pursued Tala down the left corridor.  
  
"I-I think we've lost her..." Tala panted as he leaned against a wall.  
  
Kai glanced around the corner of the 3-way junction and saw nothing but the bend. "I don't know what's gotten into her..."  
  
"Do you have the map?" Tala asked.  
  
Kai glanced at him in confusion. "Yes. Why?"  
  
"If she has it, she could find her way around easily while the two of us could land ourselves in some weird trap!"  
  
Kai glanced back around the corner anxiously. He turned back to Tala. "I don't think we should take the time to rest yet. We should keep running."  
  
Tala appeared annoyed and confused. "Oh, fine then. Down here!" He stepped away from the wall he was leaning against and headed down the corridor perpendicular to the one they had come through.  
  
Kai took off right after him, still looking back at the previous corridor but then froze and looked down as he heard a yell, gurgling, and then two splashes. Two feet away from his feet was a large square hole-with Tala holding onto the edge for dear life. From the pit rose immense heat and that was fully understandable as Kai could see what looked like boiling lava a good several metres down. "Tala!" Kai yelled as he knelt down and grabbed a hold of the red-haired boy's arms.  
  
"Well, well, well...if it isn't Kai and Tala-two of the prophesied ones! Tell me- where's the third egomaniac?"  
  
Kai looked up and Tala tried to turn his head but stopped mid-way for fear of losing his grip. There stood Kuiper and Telesto in their uniforms. "What are you two doing here?" Kai grilled angrily.  
  
The brown-haired boy straightened up and curled his lip in disgust. "I don't know, Kuiper. What are we doing here?"  
  
Kuiper folded his arms and laid a smug look on his face. "Gee, maybe it's 'cause we're from Goadbwa and this is the main headquarters?"  
  
Telesto folded his arms, too. "Oh yeah-that's right. Now we've told you, Hiwatari. We should ask you what you're doing here."  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes and lowered his head but didn't reply.  
  
"Look, Telesto! There's the third trespasser, now!" Kuiper said calmly, pointing to the previous corridor.  
  
Kai turned to see Sarah standing there with the same blank expression on her face. "Oh great...she's here."  
  
Kuiper and Telesto turned to leave. Kuiper paused and turned. "We'll just leave you three to your business, now."  
  
"Yeah. They need some alone time-together," Telesto added. They both turned and snickered as they sauntered down the hall but then whirled around as they heard Kai finally speak.  
  
"Hey! Cibaru! Varuna! Where's your third lackey?"  
  
The two boys looked at each other and smirked. "Not here," they replied as they burst into laughter and continued down the corridor.  
  
Kai growled as he eyed them. "Look out!" he heard Tala yell.  
  
Kai whipped around to see Sarah make a swing with the belt at his head. Kai ducked and dodged it. He reached out his foot and thrust it at her, knocking her off her feet and to the ground.  
  
Tala was flinching, preparing to fall. He was sure that Kai would lose his grip. He decided to flash a quick glance upward to see Kai glaring with determination down at him. "Hey Kai-you wouldn't let go of me now, would you? I'd say sorry for everything I've ever done to you."  
  
"Heh-don't worry, Tala. I've got you," he consoled as he pulled Tala up and out of the pit. Tala landed on the hard stone floor and glanced up at Sarah, who made a thrust forward to push him back into the pit. She was pushed out of the way by Kai once more and was flung against the wall like a broken rag doll.  
  
Kai leapt up and grabbed Tala's arm, pulling him to his feet. "Come on, Tala! Let's go!"  
  
Tala hastened to his feet and ran after Kai down the corridor. The two met up with Kuiper and Telesto, who had been innocently walking. The two Goadbwa boys whirled around to see the other two Biovolt boys charging at them. Kai grabbed Kuiper as Tala grabbed Telesto. Tala flung Telesto against the wall and drew his gun from his belt. He held Telesto there with his body, digging his shoulder into Telesto's chest and holding the gun to his heart, finger on the trigger,  
  
Kai had also thrown Kuiper against the wall, but held him there with his arms like he had Sarah. Neither one of the Goadbwa deploys struggled, too paralyzed with fear to do so.  
  
"Okay. Now make this easy and we won't hurt you," Tala said, pressing the gun more firmly into Telesto's chest.  
  
"What have you done to Sarah? Where exactly is your third teammate, Spica? And where are you keeping Fovular?" Kai pressed.  
  
"First of all, we didn't do anything to Sarah," Kuiper stated.  
  
"Yeah-that's right. That's what Gilepse's doing," Telesto added matter-of-factly.  
  
"Second, we aren't even sure where Spica is, just that she's doing something important." Kuiper continued.  
  
"And as for Fovular..." Telesto paused for effect, feeling everyone else's eyes on him. "She's...somewhere in the castle. But that's all I'm telling you. This is Biovolt's hide-and-seek game, not Goadbwa's."  
  
Tala let Telesto go rather forcefully, throwing him to the ground and placing his gun back in his belt.  
  
Kai was about to let Kuiper off lightly, with no violent action whatsoever, but Kuiper struck the first move by throwing a jab at Kai's face. Kai tried to move his head out of the way, but Kuiper's fist met his ear. Kai threw a hand to it and retracted his other one from his hold on Kuiper. Kuiper took out his knife and went for Kai, but Kai knocked it out of the boy's arm with his free hand. He lurched at Kuiper and seized his waist, hurling him to the ground like Tala had Telesto. Kai stood looming over the boy. Kuiper leapt to his feet after a moment of wondering what had happened and threw Kai to the wall.  
  
The two commenced throwing punches, jabs and kicks at each other, the two missing almost every opposing hit. The two were both moving so quickly around each other that their limbs had become a blur to the two other boys watching the scene, who were gawking in amazement.  
  
Finally, after matching each other hit for hit, Kai struck the final devastating blow: a punch between both eyes. It knocked Kuiper out, sending him to the floor once Kai had let go of his collar. Telesto and Tala had their mouths and eyes wide open, staring at Kuiper's bruised body in trepidation. Kai clapped his hands together and dusted himself off. "Well...that was easy. Come on, Tala. Let's go." He strode off down the corridor, swinging his arms with pride, as if nothing had happened.  
  
The two other boys stared at each other with surprised looks before they shook it off and shrugged their shoulders. Tala hurried off after Kai as Telesto knelt down to deal with his unconscious teammate.  
  
"Ugh! Let us go!" Tyson yelled as he struggled within the shackles that bound to the stone wall.  
  
"Give me one reason to do so," replied one of the Goadbwa deploys that stood guard of Samson's group. Unlike the other deploys, this deploy was female, her name Phoebe, and her being Vitality Extortion's nurse as they had grown up. She wore the same outfit as the other deploys wore, except that she had longer hair that stuck out of the hat. Her dark red Emily-style hair made a deep contrast to the black uniform.  
  
"Don't waste your energy, Tyson," Robert advised.  
  
"Yeah. You may need it later more than you need it now," agreed Lee.  
  
Philemon glanced at the others with an annoyed look. "I don't think Tyson ever runs out of energy. Not with all the food he eats."  
  
"I do so run out of energy!" Tyson protested. "Just not very often..."  
  
"I sure hope they can get us out of here before they go home. Huh! Knowing Anya, she'll probably make everyone forget about me," Samson mused to himself.  
  
Phoebe turned and glared at Samson through her sunglasses. "I wouldn't count on them rescuing you. Even if they have maps, this testing room isn't on any maps we've given out to the public."  
  
"But we don't have maps that you get from the public," Philemon started. He stopped right away as Spencer kicked him and shook his head.  
  
Phoebe advanced on Philemon. She held her rifle to his neck. "What do you mean by that, kid?"  
  
Philemon lifted his head slightly and gulped as he stared down defiantly at the woman. He could feel sweat trickle down his cheek. "I can't talk with a firearm at my throat," he said rather calmly.  
  
Phoebe took the rifle away slowly. "There. How about now?"  
  
Philemon scowled and then looked up as he heard footsteps coming from the hall.  
  
"Jailbreak! And you guys are free!" Anya screeched from her position in the doorway. She had one hand on the doorframe and the other hand pointing to the six boys shackled to the wall. Johnny, Ray, Mariah, Eddy and Steve ran into the room, taking down the two Goadbwa deploys first, while the other three set about to finding a way to liberate their friends.  
  
Anya strode over to Samson slowly, as if trying to prolong his escape. She extended her hand out behind her and a set of keys flew into it, thrown by Mariah, who had Phoebe pinned to the ground. Anya inserted the key into the shackle on Samson's right wrist. It opened and Samson took his hand away from the wall, staring at the red mark that had been left there. He glanced up at Anya. "Thank you. I didn't think...I thought you would have left without me..."  
  
"You thought wrong, then," Anya replied as she unlocked the other three shackles. "As always, Samson."  
  
Samson stepped onto the floor and scowled at the Romanov girl who smirked complacently back at him. "Hey, Anya! Would you mind snapping out of your daydream and handing me the keys?"  
  
"Yeah, some of us are still bound to the wall, here!"  
  
Anya turned to the left to see Johnny and Tyson, Johnny glowering murderously. "Calm down, kid. Here you go," she said, throwing Johnny the key chain.  
  
He caught them and freed Tyson from the shackles. Samson and Anya watched as the keys were passed down the line. "I still can't believe you agreed to take Johnny," Samson muttered to her.  
  
Anya shifted her weight to the other foot. "Neither can I."  
  
"Anya! What should we do with them?" Mariah called from the floor in the middle of the room. She was trying to keep Phoebe pinned to the floor, but was struggling along with Ray, who was trying to hold the man down.  
  
Anya marched over to the two Goadbwa deploys and loomed over them with her hands on her hips and evil smile on her face. "I don't know. What do you think they deserve?"  
  
"Tala! Can you hear me?"  
  
Tala froze in mid-step and concentrated on listening to the voices in his head. "Yes, Boris?"  
  
Kai heard Tala speak and whirled around. "What is it?"  
  
Tala threw a finger to his lip in a gesture for Kai to be quiet. Boris continued to speak. "Something has happened to Sarah, hasn't it?"  
  
"Yes," Tala replied, "Though we don't know what."  
  
"We're aren't exactly sure, either, but since you three have already split up, I need the two of you to split up. Kai-you try to find and confront Sarah. Tala- you retrieve Fovular."  
  
"But I don't know where it is," protested Tala.  
  
"Tell Kai what he has to do while I send you a virtual map of the castle."  
  
Tala looked up at Kai. "Okay...Boris wants us to split up. I'm going to go look for Fovular, while you go look for Sarah and try to confront her."  
  
All of a sudden, Tala saw a hologram map appear in front of his left eye. He jumped a little.  
  
"What is it?" Kai pressed again.  
  
"N-nothing... You go and look for Sarah."  
  
"Right!" Kai assured as he ran in the direction back down the corridor that they had come from.  
  
Tala observed him disappear into the darkness and then turned his gaze to the map. There were eight dots; purple, green, blue, orange, yellow, red, black, and white. The white dot was moving slowly in one direction on the first level, while the black was moving around on the second level. The orange and green dots were together in a room. The blue dot was rapidly moving away from the red, which stood still on the first level. The blue dot was moving in the direction of the purple one, which was also standing still. The yellow dot was remaining motionless in the tenth level of the north tower.  
  
Tala analyzed it for a moment, but could make no sense of it. "It doesn't make any sense, Boris."  
  
"This shows the locations of everyone from Biovolt. The blue dot is Kai, the red dot is you, the purple dot is Sarah, the orange dot is Anya, the green Samson, the white Rhea, the black Kieran, and the yellow Fovular. This should help you to navigate better around the Castle."  
  
"Okay, thank you, Boris..."  
  
"What are you waiting for? Get going, now!" Boris commanded.  
  
Tala slapped his arms to his side and stood erect, though he wasn't sure to who, since there was no physical being in front of him. "Yes, sir!" He took off towards the north tower. 


	16. Mind Games

16. Mind Games  
  
Tok, tok, tok...  
  
Tala's fast-paced footsteps echoed through the deserted corridors as he ran towards the north tower. He panted heavily as he tried to dash at top speed. Once he reached the entrance to the north tower staircase, he took a short rest. He laid his hand against the wall and leant over, panting like an over-exercised dog. After a minute or two, he lifted his head to glance up the staircase, seeing that it spiralled upwards. He swallowed and took his hand away, then commenced climbing the stairs.  
  
He charged headlong up them, nearly crashing into a couple of them on the way up. He lost his balance a couple of times and nearly tumbled back down a few times in his haste, but managed to regain his balance each time.  
  
He passed through abandoned and empty rooms, devoid of people and/or equipment. Once he reached the tenth and top level, he came to the end of the staircase and a wooden door. He stepped off the staircase and onto the landing, then advanced across the landing to the door. He placed the slender digits of his hand on the metal door handle and twisted his wrist. The handle turned and clicked without any resistance. The door swung open as he let go of the handle. What he saw made him gasp.  
  
"Ugh! What's with you?!" Kai yelled as he regressed away. He held his upper arm where the bullet had grazed it. He backed into a wall to find himself cornered by Sarah.  
  
Sarah stepped closer and pressed her black gun to his chest. She brought her face close to his, their noses barely a hair's breadth away from each other. Kai lowered his head slightly and gulped ominously.  
  
"Ooh! An interesting situation...What should she do? Kiss or kill...Decisions, decisions!" Spica said to herself, covering the microphone with her hand.  
  
"Kill."  
  
Spica whirled around in her swivel chair to see Tala standing behind her in the doorway. Her eyes widened. "How in the name of Goadbwa did you get in here?"  
  
Tala began to advance on her. He moved closer to Spica and the large screen that was in front of her. The entire room was dark except for the light that emanated from the screen and the tube with wiring beside it. Spica sat in a swivel chair with a communication apparatus on her. There was also other wiring on her; they were connected to her fingers, legs and forehead. Some were also embedded in her scalp. She was wearing a black, tight tank top and dark blue bell-bottom pants, held up by a black belt with silver buckle. She had black boots with red lacing and white soles. She had a white bandanna around her neck.  
  
Tala glanced at the tube to his left. He saw that all the wires that were on Spica and the equipment in front of her were connected to one sole object within the tube. It was small and lay on a red velvet cushion on the bottom. There was no glass around the tube, and so he could have easily reached in, but decided against it. He turned back to Spica who was still glaring at him.  
  
"Kill yourself, that is. Why are you doing this?"  
  
Spica narrowed her eyes and whipped back to the monitor. "Simple. Gilepse's orders."  
  
"Sarah? Are you okay?" Kai asked, shifting slightly and uneasily while still at the gunpoint of Sarah, who wasn't moving at all.  
  
Kai took his hand away from his wound and reached for the gun. He slowly pushed the gun downwards, so that it was not pointing at his chest anymore. He placed his hands on Sarah's shoulders and attempted to push her away.  
  
Spica leant forward, paying no attention to Tala anymore. "Oh no, you don't! Come on, Sarah! Say it with me..."  
  
"Kai, let me go."  
  
"What?" Kai asked, taking his hands away.  
  
Sarah lifted the gun once more and aimed. Kai took off down the hall, dodging the bullets that flew past his head. He took a turn down the corridor on his right, towards the testing facilities room where Anya and Samson were.  
  
On turning the corner, heading down that hallway and coming to the four way junction, he collided with someone. He fell to the ground, and after recovering then looking up, he saw a girl standing there. Rhea gazed nonchalantly down at him. She could see the fear and worry on his face.  
  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
"I-"  
  
Rhea glanced up to the hall that Kai had come from. Her eyes widened slightly and her wanful expression became one of surprise. Out of personality, she took direct charge of the situation. She extended her arm to bar the way for her group and Kai.  
  
Sarah turned and stood at the end of the corridor, staring blankly at Rhea. She raised the gun torpidly, as all her moves had been before.  
  
Rhea gasped. "She's possessed. Max, help your captain. All of you, head for the testing facility where the others are."  
  
Max bent down to help Kai and began to take him off in the direction that Elvin, Ian, Enrique and Kevin were going.  
  
Rhea waited for them to enter the room behind her before approaching the armed girl before her. Rhea was a metre away from her when Sarah fired.  
  
"Give it to me!"  
  
"Gimme, gimme, never get, don't you know your manners yet?"  
  
"Yes I do, but not today, so gimme or I'll shoot you anyway!" Tala cried as he struggled with Spica over the panel controls.  
  
"Not if I get you first!" Spica countered, pulling a handgun out from under the seat of the chair. She pointed at Tala, who froze and stared back. He began to slowly back away, hands in the air.  
  
Rhea opened her eyes with great struggle, after having heard the gunshot. She observed the strange behaviour that was now being exhibited by Sarah. Rhea glanced around and saw the dark mark on the wall where the bullet had ricocheted off. Rhea had missed the bullet. She turned back to Sarah, who was holding the gun out in front of her and circling around with steady steps as if she was trying to corner an invisible target. Rhea stepped forward to her and grabbed her shoulders. Sarah struggled to move in her grasp, though not as if to get free. She just kept moving as if to advance on her victim.  
  
Spica glanced at the monitor to see Sarah doing the same as she was doing. She left Tala and hurried over to the computer. "Now look what you've made me do, you great lummox!" She screeched at Tala.  
  
"Excuse me? I didn't do anything!" Tala took advantage of the opportunity and tackled Spica to the ground.  
  
Sarah fell to the ground and started to thrash and flail about. Rhea bent down but then retreated back as Sarah stuffed her gun away and pulled out her dagger. Sarah leapt up off the floor and chased after Rhea, who hastened down the hall towards the testing room.  
  
Rhea entered through the doorway and whirled around as she heard something drop to the floor in a heap. She saw Kai pinning her to the ground, Sarah resisting violently.  
  
Spica ran to the keyboard again once out of Tala's grasp. "Come on, you fool! Get the up!"  
  
"She...won't...get up...for you," Tala managed to say from his crouching position on the floor. His face was screwed up in an extremely pained expression, and he was almost doubling over in agony, holding his groin area.  
  
Spica whipped around to face him and gave him a death glare. "Do you want me to do that again?"  
  
Tala narrowed his eyes and lowered his head.  
  
"Right, then. Shut up!"  
  
"Argh!" Kai yelled as Sarah threw him off of her. Everyone else stared in horror or apathy at the two rolling around on the floor.  
  
Sarah sat up and brought the knife down where Kai was. He leapt out of the way just in time and headed for the wall. Sarah heaved her knife from the floor and got up. She raised the knife above her shoulder and advanced on Kai.  
  
Tala surveyed the room through eyes blurred with tears of pain. His gaze landed on the tube that held Fovular. Seeing that Spica was preoccupied with manipulating Sarah, he inched closer to the tube by crawling along the floor.  
  
Crouching in front of the tube, he reached up and unhooked the first wire. Then he unhooked another, and then another, until the Bit Beast had been relieved of all the wires. Despite that, Spica still had full control over her.  
  
But then, Tala made a fatal mistake. He fumbled with the Bit Piece as he took it from the cushion. It fell to the stone floor. Spica heard and whirled around.  
  
"Rhea. Do you copy?"  
  
Rhea concentrated on listening to Lutka's voice coming from the transmitter. "Yes, Lutka, I copy."  
  
"We've found out what will return Sarah back to normal."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Memories! You need to make her remember something special. That will break the control that Spica has over her, if she can remember who she is- and not a lackey for Spica."  
  
"Affirmative, ma'am." Rhea called out to Kai, who was now pinned against the wall. "Kai- make her remember."  
  
Kai looked over Sarah's shoulder and at Rhea. "Make her remember?"  
  
"Yes. What pleasant memories does she have?"  
  
Kai cast his gaze back to Sarah's pupiless eyes. He gulped and then began to speak. "Sarah! Listen to me! Maybe she'll recognize a language..."  
  
"It's worth a try!" Samson encouraged.  
  
"But what languages does she know?" Kai questioned no one in particular, now more edgy as Sarah was poised to strike with the knife.  
  
"Well, English isn't working, is it?" Tyson voiced.  
  
Elvin stepped forward. "Try French!"  
  
"But I don't know French," Kai protested.  
  
Elvin gaited towards the wall. He stood a good metre away from her warily. "I do." With that, he commenced speaking in the foreign tongue. "Sarah! Ecoute a moi! Kai est ton ami! Nous sommes n'essayer pas faire mal a toi!"  
  
Kai glanced at him anxiously, sweat dripping down his cheek. Sarah hadn't moved, as if listening to what Elvin had to say, though she didn't lower her hand. "What did you say?" Kai demanded.  
  
"He said 'Listen to me. Kai is your friend. We're not trying to hurt you'," Eva translated.  
  
Robert turned to Oliver. "Don't you know French?"  
  
Oliver glanced up at him. "I can understand a little of what the Celestial Myriad might say, but not all. They know Canadian French while I know standard." He turned back to Kai and Sarah. "They're two different languages."  
  
"What about Japanese?" Ray suggested. "She lived in Japan for a couple of years, didn't she?"  
  
"Yeah!" Kai concurred. He glared into her green eyes. "Sarah! Kikimasu e watashi! Anata Spica o shoyu shiteiru! Sarah-san! Watashi no namae Kai! Omoidasu watashi ka?"  
  
"It's not working..." Anya clarified, her voice growing in an irritated tone. "Though what did you say?"  
  
"I said 'Listen to me. You are in Spica's possession. Sarah. My name is Kai. Remember me.'"  
  
"What other languages does she know?" Michael asked rhetorically.  
  
Philemon turned to the rest of the Myriad. "Doesn't she know a bit of Spanish?"  
  
Eva frowned. "I don't see why you would want to count to 14 for her."  
  
"That's all she knows?!" He exclaimed in surprise.  
  
"I thought she knew Filipino?" Elvin vociferated.  
  
Eva gave him the same annoyed look. "She knows less Filipino than she does Spanish."  
  
"She can only count to 5?" Philemon mused.  
  
"How about Russian?"  
  
They all turned to the door to see Tala standing in the doorway. Kai cast his gaze at Sarah and then back at Tala. "Of course! I forgot all about that! Would you like to do the honours?"  
  
Tala folded his arms and leaned against the doorway's frame. "Why me? It's you that's pinned there."  
  
"Tala! Don't be so inconsiderate!" Anya scolded.  
  
Tala glowered at her and then pushed himself away from the wall. He strode over to where Elvin had stood. "Sarah!"  
  
For once, Sarah made a response. She turned her head to look at him, though held the knife there.  
  
"Vas eemyehyootsyah nyeh odyehrzheemyy. Prosypatsya!" Tala commanded authoritatively.  
  
"She's not possessed anymore? Then why is she acting like this? I don't think she'll wake up that easily," Kai countered.  
  
Tala took a step closer to Sarah, who still hadn't been phased by his new words. "Pomnet? Pomnet nash potsehelooy?"  
  
The other eight in the room (besides Tala and Sarah) that understood Russian made a large gasp. Their faces clearly showed surprise and shock, even Rhea's and Bryan's.  
  
The ones that didn't understand quickly whirled to the one that was closest to them and demanded for translation. Mariah nudged at Anya's elbow. "What did he say, Anya? What did Tala say? Tell us!"  
  
Anya seemingly ignored her. "Tala! I...I...can't be-believe that...you!"  
  
Tala and Kai watched as Sarah's expression changed, her mouth opening slightly and eyes widening. Tala continued to speak. "Yah lyoobov vas. Kai ee yah lyoobov vas."  
  
(A/N: You don't know how hard it was to translate the Russian! All the phrasebooks and dictionaries I found were in Russian, so besides looking for the words, I had to convert the Cyrillic to the English alphabet! Oh, yeah-and if I made any spelling errors or the sentences don't make any grammatical sense, it's not my fault. I couldn't find anything on Russian grammar and verb conjugation.)  
  
"Tala! What would Boris say if he heard you?!" Ian exclaimed.  
  
Tala ignored Ian's comment and looked to the stunned Kai. "Try calling her name."  
  
Kai scowled at him. "We tried that already!"  
  
"I mean her real name."  
  
Kai pondered for a moment, repeating what Tala had just said to him in a mumble. Then, it dawned on him. "Of course! Celeste! Listen to me! Wake up! Celeste!"  
  
Sarah's eyes widened to full extent on hearing her original name. She glared at Kai for a moment before lowering the dagger. "Kai? Tala?"  
  
Kai's face loosened up. He had a smile of relief and watery eyes. "Yes?"  
  
Sarah wore a drowsy expression for a second or two before it became anger and fury once more. Tala saw a quick flash of silver appear from Sarah's side at which time seemed to stand still. "No!" he yelled as he reached out his hand to shield Kai.  
  
He observed in horror as Kai's brown eyes froze, staring straight ahead and wide open. His body tensened as if in rigomortez. Tala noticed that his eyes weren't blinking and his chest wasn't moving, nor was he breathing. Sarah held the dagger where it was for a moment before a pained expression came to her features and her knees buckled. She fell forward and onto Kai's stationery chest, then flopped to the ground at his feet.  
  
Tala let out a huge sigh of relief as Kai's petrified eyes moved slowly downwards. He eased away from the wall and knelt down to help her up. Tala glanced at the dagger that lay embedded in the stone wall. It had missed Kai.  
  
Kai coiled his arms around her back and pulled her up, supporting her head as if she were a young baby. Her green eyes flickered open to gaze into brown, sedate ones. "Are you okay?" she heard the familiar, yet distant voice say.  
  
She sat up by herself, but Kai still kept his arms in a firm grip on her. "Yeah...I think so..."  
  
"Since she's okay, we'd better get back to Biovolt. I've got Fovular, and I'm sure Boris won't mind the fact that we don't have Gilepse." Tala mentioned.  
  
Kieran nodded his head in agreement. "He didn't say anything about it. He seemed more concerned with us just teaching Goadbwa a lesson they won't forget."  
  
Tala folded his arms and shifted his weight to one foot with a smug look on his face. "Spica won't be forgetting hers any time soon."  
  
"As the head of the Biovolt guards, and a cunning friend or guardian to us all. May your memory live on in our hearts and to anyone else that knew you. You served everyone around you well, and we shan't forget you, Vladimir Ivanovitch Sadalmelik," Boris concluded. He signalled for Bryan and Ian to place the flowers on the tombstone.  
  
Some of the Biovolt staff had tears in their eyes. Lutka dabbed her cheek with her handkerchief daintily. Boris felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned his head to see Leon standing there. Leon's eyes were watery and overflowing with tears. "Should we begin the executive meeting?"  
  
Boris glanced at the sky. It was cloudy and red, as it had been a few days before. He looked back down at Leon. "Yes. Start without me. I'll be there in a little while. Let Irina or Voltaire head the meeting. And get everyone else inside. It's starting to rain."  
  
Leon flashed a quizzical look but then heard the plop, plop, of rainwater against the pond. He nodded and ushered the Biovolt deploys inside. When Sarah refused to go, Tala and Kai did, too. The rain was becoming stronger.  
  
Sarah stood behind Boris and stared up at him innocently. His face seemed devoid of emotion as he scrutinized the tombstone and freshly dug earth that lay on top of the grave. Sarah couldn't see any tears trickle out from under his glasses, yet she couldn't help feeling that he actually was crying. She moved forward to stand at his side. She observed the grave for several moments before looking up at the solemn Boris.  
  
"What's she doing?" Tala whispered to Kai.  
  
"He's her uncle. She has good reason to feel sympathy for him, despite what we want to feel," Kai replied in the same whisper.  
  
"You don't feel that way for your Grandfather."  
  
Kai turned his head to glower at him, since he had been watching the scene in front of him before. The look silenced Tala.  
  
Boris sighed, took off his glasses and looked toward the pond, as if oblivious to the Hilanovs' presence. He whipped back around as he felt something enclose around his hand. He instinctively pulled his gloved hand away and gazed downward to see Sarah standing, glaring up at him with innocence. He lowered his eyes as if he was about to cry. He turned away again.  
  
Tala could see the empathetic expression on her face. He strode over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He could feel her jump slightly in his grip. She looked at him. He brought his head closer to hers, over her shoulder so that their heads almost touched. This made Kai eye them more closely, remembering what Tala had said back at Galsky Castle.  
  
"He'll be okay," Tala whispered into her ear. "All we're going to do is get soaked waiting for him. Let's go inside."  
  
Tala let go as Sarah turned to face him. She saw that Tala and Kai's hair was beginning to go limp from the rainwater. Their hairstyles were sagging and Kai was starting to shiver, for he was only wearing a tank top. She took one last wistful glance at her uncle before turning back to Tala. She nodded and allowed him to lead her back inside.  
  
Kai pursued the two, eyeing Tala, green with envy and jealousy. He glowered at Tala's white, slender back, as if hoping to burn a hole through it with his infuriated, brown eyes. When he found he couldn't do that, he raised his gaze and traced with his eyes along Tala's arm that wound around Sarah's shoulders, drawing her body closer to his. Kai observed that Sarah's hips moved almost rhythmically with Tala's. Their steps were accordant, and Tala kept putting his head closer to Sarah, whispering something in her ear and then pulling away. Sarah wasn't resisting it at all.  
  
At one moment, Kai wasn't exactly sure whether they had sped up or he had slowed down, seeing as they were moving farther away and he was to captivated to notice his speed. He saw Sarah rest her head on Tala's shoulder. Kai could almost see the look on Tala's face. It was pleasured and content, like a well-pampered cat. He had seemingly won the war, and he was going to flaunt it all he could. He had finally defeated Kai at something and he wasn't going to let Kai forget it. It was then that Kai realized the bond there was between them. He stopped dead in his tracks and watched as the two disappeared into the darkness of the corridor. He realized that they were meant for each other.  
  
In the night's still of the Abbey, Tala lay awake in bed. The sheets on his bed were ruffled and hanging loosely over the edge from all the tossing and turning he had been doing while trying to get over his insomnia. He lay on his back, both hands on the pillow behind his head. He stared at the stone ceiling and listened to Kai and Sarah's breathing.  
  
He turned his head in the direction of the window to see Kai sleeping peacefully in his own bed, facing away from Tala. Kai had one arm over the covers and the other behind his head. Tala examined the sky that lay outside the window. It was pure black, starless, but illuminated by a lustrous moon that also enlightened the dark dormitory room.  
  
He turned his head in the other direction, to Sarah and the wall. Unlike Kai, Sarah was faced towards Tala. She had the covers pulled all the way up to just the bottom of her head. Tala could see why. She still had not accustomed to the subzero Russian climate. Tala simpered the way a proud father would as he watched her sleep. He scrutinized the long brown hair that trailed across her face, covering her cheek, mouth and nose.  
  
He took a deep breath in and then sighed as he turned his head back to the ceiling. He moved his hands from behind his head and to under the pillow. He turned on his side to face Sarah's direction. He adjusted the blankets and lay flat on his stomach, turning his head towards Sarah. He stared, smiling at her for a moment, before closing his eyes with content thoughts.  
  
Kai was standing in an abandoned playground. He saw no children around- laughing, playing... He was wearing the black Demolition Boys' jacket with the yellow zipper lining as he surveyed the sad scene.  
  
He glanced at the sky to see it dark and foreboding. It was filled with clouds-rainclouds-that threatened to pour the rain right down on him. He turned back to park, to now see a multitude of ghostly young children swinging on the swings, twirling on the roundabout, sliding down the slides, climbing on the monkey bars, playing on the playset, and bouncing on the teeter-totter. There was a shadowy forest of trees surrounding the playground. He could see where this clearing re-entered the path through the woods across from where he stood.  
  
The children looked familiar. On examining one more closely, he found that the young dark-blue haired one resembled Tyson when he was around five years old. He gazed around at the others, seeing Max, Emily, Kevin, Oliver, Spencer, Elvin, and all the others. There was no Vitality Extortion or Blade Sovereign, though, and he didn't see Tala or Sarah.  
  
He watched as Mariah tripped and fell to the ground as she chased after Emily. The pink-haired girl began to cry uncontrollably as she sat on the ground dumbly. Ray hurried over to help her up. "It's okay. You'we not huwt, awe you? Yet's go find an adult," He consoled her. With that, he led her away from the playground.  
  
The two disappeared into thin air as soon as they stepped off the playground sandy threshold, but Kai was distracted by a commotion on the other side of the park to gawk in wonder.  
  
"Tyson! Eva! Bwyan! Wake up! What's wong?!" came Max's frantic, squeaky voice.  
  
Kai looked at the ground to where the crowd of ghostly children were gathered in a circle. He saw through their translucent bodies the cadavers of Tyson, Bryan, and Eva. The three lay on the ground, not moving and seemingly lifeless. Kai couldn't tear his eyes from the scene, enraptured by wonder and fear. He looked around the circle, seeing some of the young ones crying and some of them merely staring in horror, as he was.  
  
"Dewe's Bowis! He'll help dem!" Oliver exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a figure that was looming out of the thick foggy mist that now encircled Kai and the playground.  
  
Boris was of the same apparition-like form as the rest of them, but he was at his present age, unlike them. He was wearing his green trenchcoat and black garments along with his black red-eyed glasses. He wore an evil smile on his face, the same smug-looking one he always wore when he had advantage over the trainees.  
  
Kai saw him kneel down, take Eva's arm in his hand, examine it, and then stand back up.  
  
"What is it, Bowis? What is it?" Philemon exclaimed, jumping up and down.  
  
The smile had disappeared from Boris' face as he did the examination, but it now returned as he turned to the young black-haired boy. "They're dead."  
  
A gasp ran through the throng. Some burst into uncontrollable tears while others threw themselves down beside them and jerked them as if trying to wake them up, despite Boris' words. Boris was now laughing evilly, a cackle so sinister that it sent shivers running through Kai. He had heard Boris chuckle vaguely like this before, but never exactly like this. The heinous pleasure on Boris' face reminded Kai of only Gilepse or his grandfather, Voltaire.  
  
Soon, after hearing Boris' voice rattle around his head, another laugh overpowered his. It gradually got louder as the playground group slowly faded into the fog. Their cries and Boris' laughs echoed before coming to an abrupt stop. The other laughing still rang out.  
  
Kai glanced around him, seeing no one. The laugh sounded like the hysterical laughter of that of a young girl, one of the same age as the teams were. Kai finally whipped right around. Standing just in front of the shrubbery before the forest was, sure enough-a young girl.  
  
She seemed to be hovering just above the grassy ground below her. She held a parasol in her right hand while her other hand lay at her side. She was wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and had her head down so that her eyes were hidden among the shadows. Straight brown hair trailed out from under the hair and draped across her small shoulders. She wore a frilly dress, sprinkled with flowers all over. There was a lace lining that came up over her shoulders and met with a horizontal line that ran just below her undeveloped chest. The dress had full-length sleeves and went down to just above her ankles, where Kai could see a petticoat show itself from underneath. She had brown, laced, heeled boots with black soles, like those of an ancient day. All her clothes had that characteristic.  
  
Kai found her laugh familiar and stared at her in trepidation a moment before gathering his courage to take a step closer. "W-who are you?" he stammered.  
  
The girl raised his head slightly, though her eyes were still in shadow. "I should ask...Who are you?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Kai questioned, taking a step backward and regretting the preliminary step he had made in the first place.  
  
"Who are you to be killing those poor children? So innocent...so devoid of opportunities, now."  
  
Kai's eyes widened at her words. "Kill them? W-why would I do that? I didn't kill them..."  
  
"Don't lie. You killed them. You killed them, Kai Hiwatari."  
  
"I...I didn't...Who are you to be telling me that, anyway?"  
  
"I...am..." There was a long pause until the young girl finally raised her left hand. In it lay a dagger. "I am the angel of your death. You don't deserve to be living anymore. Relieve yourself of your responsibilities."  
  
Kai reached for the knife after taking his wary steps closer. He took it with a quavering hand and stared at it for a moment, holding it so that it pointed at his chest.  
  
"Go ahead." Kai looked down at the girl who had now lowered her parasol-laden hand. "You don't need Tala or me in your life, now. I'm Tala's."  
  
Kai's eyes enlarged to full extent. "Th-then that would mean...y- you're..."  
  
"That's right." All of a sudden, the girl lunged forward and right into Kai's face. The shadow disappeared from her eye area and her saw the verdant eyes of his beloved. "It's me,..."  
  
"ANYA!"  
  
"Yargh!" Kai yelled in surprise as he fell backwards and to the ground. He shook his head and reached for it, feeling his right hand gripping something. He looked at it, and saw the exact same knife. He glanced upward to see Anya looming over him, and angered look on her face. She was wearing her night garments of a long, pale red nightgown. Her hair was slightly messy, and the ribbons weren't in it.  
  
Behind her he saw the fridge with an ajar door. He helped himself up off the floor, but fell back down again. Anya extended her arm and Kai caught a hold of it as she heaved him up onto his feet. "Sorry to wake you like that, Kai...But you're a sound sleeper. I was trying to wake you up quietly, and then I began screaming at you-I'm sure the whole Abbey heard. You were sleepwalking and talking."  
  
Kai gazed at the ground with an embarrassed expression. "Uh...thanks..."  
  
Anya moved over to the fridge and placed her hand on the door. "So. What were you down here for?"  
  
Kai looked back up at her, beginning to blush. "Um...I was going to get a drink..."  
  
Anya glared at him in annoyance. "You were going to drink a knife?"  
  
Kai examined the knife and then stashed it behind his back. He shook his head gingerly. "What are you down here for?"  
  
Anya took a milk carton from the fridge and grabbed the glass that was on the counter. She and Kai watched carefully as the blanched liquid flowed into the confines of the glass. "Same thing as you. I was parched. Want some?"  
  
"Sure..."  
  
Anya reached for another glass in the cupboard and poured the milk into it. She handed it to Kai and slammed the fridge door shut. She stepped over to the table and leant against it. Kai crossed his knife-wielding arm across his chest carefully so that he wouldn't accidentally puncture himself as he tipped the glass and let the cool liquid rush past his lips into his awaiting mouth.  
  
Anya had finished hers in quite a rush, and hurried to the sink, washed out her glass, then set it on the side to dry. She turned to Kai. "Well, it's off to bed with me. You keep yourself out of those suicidal dreams, 'kay?"  
  
Kai nodded while still swallowing the drink and holding the glass to his mouth.  
  
Anya cocked her head to one side. "Why are you still holding the knife?"  
  
Kai lowered his head slightly, but kept the glass to his mouth. He glanced at the knife in his hand that he had removed from his bare chest, for he wore only the tight bottoms that Biovolt had provided for him as pyjamas. He looked back up at Anya and shrugged his shoulders, not putting it down or faltering with his drink.  
  
Anya straightened her head and left the room with a small departing wave. Once she had left to go up the staircase that led straight to the dormitories, Kai gulped down the drink and slammed the glass down on the counter. He took off out through the kitchen entrance that led to the mess hall. He swerved through the assortment of tables in the hall and to the staircase to the ground level, since the mess hall and kitchen were on the basement level.  
  
Once he reached the ground level, he headed for the second level staircase that led back to the dormitories. He finally reached his dormitory, and opened the door slightly just so that he could squeeze through. He closed the door with caution and his left hand, seeing as he held the knife in his right. He scurried past the beds of Tala and Sarah, careful not to wake them. He placed the knife on his bedside table before taking one last glance at his two comrades and diving under the covers.  
  
The wind gyrated and battered at Kai's long, white scarf as he stepped through the woods slowly. He could hear the branches and leaves bend and crack under his feet. He no longer wore the black jacket and was freezing because of it.  
  
He came to a clearing where four large trees were positioned in a square around it. Each had a hole in it.  
  
He stopped to look around for the young girl through the shadowy woods of the night. He saw nothing through the foliage and nothing on the opposing footpath of the clearing-there were two of them that led from the clearing. The glowing moon cast long shadows around the forest, enveloping Kai in an eerie darkness.  
  
Kai moved forward into the clearing to head through the other footpath but then halted and whipped around as he heard voices. He turned to see the large tree on his right with visions in the large knothole. He stepped closer right over to the hole, sticking his face right in front of it. He heard car brakes screech, screams, and then a collision.  
  
Through the hole he saw an explosion from the hitting of two cars. He saw a view of what the two passengers in one of the cars. The victims were a man and woman-both of them resembling someone familiar though he didn't know them. One-the lady-had long, light blue hair and greyish-purple eyes. She was wearing an ultramarine blue skirted business suit that was half buttoned at the front. Kai could see a white shirt under it. She had black high-heeled shoes. Her hair trailed down to her lower back, and her bangs were like Sarah's.  
  
The man had long, dark blue hair that was tied back in a white elastic low on the back of his head. It went halfway down his back and was rather shaggy and uncombed. He had the nonchalant eyes and smile of Kieran until he had been involved in the crash, that is. He wore a light blue collared shirt that was unbuttoned a little at the top, but was held together by a loose black tie. He wore a dark brown belt with silver buckle and matching dark brown pants. He had brown dress shoes. His chin and jawline had unshaven beard stubs, and pretty much everything about him seemed laid back and slightly unhygienic.  
  
The two, supposedly a married couple, lay sprawled over the front seats of the car and the airbags. They had bloody faces from nosebleeds the impacts had caused. He heard sirens and saw ambulances enter the scene.  
  
An ambulance with the Biovolt logo came and took the couple from their car. The two men dressed in Biovolt uniforms loaded them into the ambulance and then drove away quickly without taking any analysis of the sort.  
  
'Wait...' thought Kai. 'Weren't my parents killed in a car crash?' He paused to ponder a moment before turning as he heard voices coming from the tree to the left. He took one last glance at the tree with his parents' deaths before hurrying over to the next tree.  
  
"You are going to jump!"  
  
"No."  
  
"Look-why don't you make it easy for the both of us and just fling yourself over? No questions asked."  
  
There came no reply from the blue-haired brown-eyed girl that was Kai's sister, Rhea. She was quarrelling with the ghostly figure of a girl of the same age as Rhea. The girl had long dark blue hair and piercing green eyes.  
  
The two girls were standing on a cliff. They were rather close to the edge, and Kai feared that Rhea would fall off at any minute. The area at the bottom of the rocky cliff was all water and sharp rocks. The black water formed waves and crashed, coming in from the stormy seas. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed, bringing in gusts from the sea to batter at Rhea and the girl.  
  
"Jump, now, you fool!"  
  
Rhea continued to glare at the girl with her wanful expression.  
  
"I really don't want to make you do this..."  
  
"Why not? It's what you've been doing for the past eleven years now, Crucis."  
  
"That's it! You're going over!" With that, Kai saw Crucis enter Rhea's body through her chest.  
  
Rhea's eyes widened and she made a slight jerk. Then her eyes began to glow a bright blood red and a strong wind started to blow. The wind formed a funnel that blew in a counter-clockwise direction around her.  
  
Kai's eyes then widened in horror as he saw two bulges appear on the back of her shirt, each just below the shoulder blade. They enlarged themselves like overgrown poles before the shirt's fabric could take the pressure no longer and tore. The long, narrow bulges appeared white as they grew straight out of Rhea's back. Once they had reached a considerable length, they paused in their expansion and unfolded to form a pair of graceful, white wings. Rhea stood frozen in that position for a while; standing erectly with a raised head and wings poised to go into flight.  
  
As Kai had expected her to leap into the air, she didn't. Instead, the wings closed in around her, enveloping and protecting her whole body from the wind. Brilliant white light began to emanate from the gaps between the wings, and then the wings unfolded again. Who now stood there was no longer Rhea - not perfectly, that was.  
  
The being that now stood poised to fly was a culmination of Rhea and Crucis. The right half of the girl was Rhea while the left was Crucis. It made for an eerie for Kai to see the two different shades of blue hair on one head; both of different lengths and styles. Two different bodies, slotted together, though they seemed to fit perfectly. Then, the two female halves leapt into the air and with one flap of her powerful new wings, flew above the water so that she was thirty metres above it.  
  
She hovered over the dark crashing waters before giving one last and final flap of her wings. Crucis and Rhea remained motionless over the water, suspended in mid-air as the wind continued to blow and the sea splashed them with spray. After a prolonged silence with high tension, the girl started to drop like a stone to the savage waves below.  
  
On the way down, something distracted Kai coming from the third tree to his left. Not wanting to see his sister's death, he turned away and hastened to the next tree where he saw his grandfather, Voltaire.  
  
He saw his grandfather's orange soul leave the elderly man's body with a flash of bright red light that had passed through him. Kai watched as the red light took Voltaire's soul into the dark grey storm clouds of the sky. After a moment or two, the red light returned to its owner, who stood in front of Voltaire. By now, Voltaire had fallen unconscious to the grassy ground and the shadowed Beyblader had moved closer.  
  
The two figures were in a huge deserted field. There was a grassy area about fifty metres in diameter that formed a circle before meeting the foots of rocky mountains and boulders. There were three entrances around the field. One was near the pond that stood to the northeast. The second was between a footpath in the mountains to the southeast. The last one was to the west, and like the second, was in between two of the mountains.  
  
Kai saw the shadowed unknown figure advance on his grandfather. The figure leant down over Voltaire and raised his arm into the air slowly. In the blue lightning flash, he saw the flash of silver in his hand and smile on the boy's face. The boy's hand lowered in one swift movement, sinking the dagger into the chest of Kai's grandfather.  
  
The shadowed boy stood up and placed his hands akimbo as he glared down at Voltaire with a self-satisfied smirk. Lighting flashed again, and Kai could finally see the darkened features of his grandfather's murderer. It was he. Kai saw himself standing in the dark field glowering down at his dead grandfather.  
  
Kai stepped warily away from the tree, a horrified look on his face. He hated his grandfather, but not enough to kill him. Kai was happy to hear the sounds from the fourth and final tree beckoning to him so that he wouldn't have to contemplate the deaths of his only known relatives. He prayed silently to himself that this vision would be more comfortable than the rest.  
  
As he reached the tree and gazed inside the knothole, he felt bliss and comfort instead of trepidation and forbiddance. He felt like someone was holding him with congenial arms, an embrace to chase away the gut feelings about the deaths of his relatives. He finally opened his eyes once the warmth had stopped and looked straight ahead to see Sarah standing there, a contented look on her face.  
  
He saw her move closer to him until she rested her head on his left shoulder. Kai lay his right hand on her cheek. She opened her eyes and looked up into his intense brown eyes.  
  
"It's okay, Kai...Just because your family isn't here anymore doesn't mean you can't be..." she consoled.  
  
"It's just...that...I know those visions will haunt my dreams. They'll be with me 'till the day I die, and...I know you think it strange for me to say this, but...I'm scared," he replied softly.  
  
Sarah grabbed his hand in hers and threw her arms around his neck once more. "Don't worry. I'll be here to help you through it. I'll be with you..."  
  
In a sudden offensive move, she pushed forward violently, knocking Kai off balance and to the ground. He lay flat on his back, almost stunned that she was able to pull something like that off while she straddled him, hands on his chest and pinning him down.  
  
A smirk appeared on her features as she leaned down over him so that their mouths almost touched. "Which won't be very long..."  
  
Kai gasped. "Huh? What do you mean?"  
  
He began to feel nervous as he felt her right hand's pressure ease off his chest. He noticed her reach behind her and pull out something black that she held neatly in her hand. "What are you doing? Sarah! Answer me!"  
  
Sarah took her head away from his and sat back up, still straddling him, though. Slowly, she brought her right hand around and lay the end of the black object to his throat. Her smirk grew even wider as she narrowed her eyes and stared at the area on Kai's throat that the gun was aimed at. "Hold still, Kai, and this won't take long..."  
  
Kai gulped as she moved the head of the gun in small circles around his Adam's Apple. "Y-you yourself said that I can still live..."  
  
"That was then, this is now." She leant over him once more and touched her lips to his. Kai closed his eyes and tilted his head backwards, away from her. She followed the movement and intensified it.  
  
Kai could now feel that she had finally stopped circling around his throat. She took her mouth away a moment to whisper something quickly. "Goodbye, Kai. It's been a pleasure knowing you, it really has...but I fear your time has come. The curse of the Hiwataris has finally reached you, and besides- I'm Tala's. We all know that."  
  
With that, she cocked the trigger of the black gun. With a click, the bullet left the barrel and hurtled straight for Kai's throat...  
  
Kai drew back from the tree in a panic. In his haste, he tripped and fell to the ground. He glared in dread around at the images of the fates of the Hiwatari family. His eyes started to water in pure petrifaction. "No...No! Th-this c-can't be...We're destined for more than this...NOOO!" he yelled as he threw his hands to his ears and lowered his head.  
  
But the images continued to play and re-play in his mind. He saw his parents, Kaji and Xenia lying motionless on the Biovolt hospital beds. He saw his sister, Rhea swallowed up by the pounding waves. He saw his grandfather, Voltaire lying on the red grass with bloodstained garments. He saw himself, Kai lying dead on the ground and being straddled and osculated by the one who he loved, blood covering the two of them. His yell continued to echo around the abandoned forest.  
  
"Kai!" a familiar voice called.  
  
Kai looked up warily to see a shadowed figure approaching him from the footpath opposite the one he had entered through. As the figure stepped into the moonlight of the clearing, Kai could make them out clearly. There stood the leader of the Demolition Boys, Tala, who was wearing the Demolition Boys' black jacket to protect him from the cold night air.  
  
"Tala!" Kai exclaimed as he leapt up from his position on the leafy ground. He stood erect and stared straight ahead at the red-haired boy who stood silent and motionless before him. Kai took a cautious step closer. "Tala? Tell me...What does all of this mean?"  
  
Tala didn't reply nor move.  
  
"Tala! Answer me! You're not dead, are you?"  
  
The blue-eyed boy stood stiff as a board.  
  
Kai took the remaining steps quickly and reached out to grab him violently when Tala spoke. "Kai...You're scared, aren't you?"  
  
Kai withdrew slightly and stared at him with a bewildered look. "Yes. Of course I am."  
  
Tala reached inside his coat pocket t retrieve something from it. "Well, of course, you know that we're all going to die some day. Why not today?"  
  
"B-because...I-I have too much to do...I can't die...not today...not tonight..."  
  
"You're clearly terrified of death. They say that the best way to overcome your fear is to face it. And you don't want to look at the death of your family, do you?"  
  
Kai shook his head.  
  
"Then there is one answer to conquering your fear and not watching your family's fates take place, isn't there?"  
  
"I-I guess..." Kai stammered. "There would have to be a logical way, wouldn't there?"  
  
"Yes. As a matter of fact, there is, Kai," Tala said as his hand became visible, having left the depths of the pocket. Kai could see that in his right hand, he brandished a knife. Tala eyed the weapon as he held it at his side a moment and narrowed his eyes. "Yes...A formidable weapon, indeed. Just like the one you would have used to kill your grandfather, Tyson, Bryan, and Eva."  
  
"I didn't kill Tyson, Bryan, and Eva!" Kai protested, getting impatient.  
  
Tala ignored his denial and continued to speak. "Yes, Kai...this knife would suit as your trademark weapon. Look at it..." said Tala as he lifted the knife slowly so that it dangled in front of both their faces. "A perfectly crafted stainless steel blade that fits flawlessly into the black leather-bound handle. Would make for a quick death. Why, you're practically the grim reaper yourself with a beauty such as this. I'd be rather happy to be impaled with this..." Tala lowered the knife to his side and glared straight ahead at Kai's determined brown eyes. "Wouldn't you?"  
  
Kai hesitated. "No."  
  
Tala turned his gaze to the knife once more. "Well, of course, that's just my opinion." He raised the knife again, this time holding it flat in the palm of his outstretched hand. "Come on, Kai. You and I both know you deserve this. Why not let it be this way? With this instrument?"  
  
Kai stared at Tala's saturnine blue eyes for a moment before casting his gaze to the knife in his hand.  
  
Tala smirked. "You can end it all right now, Kai. It's as simple as this."  
  
Kai continued to stare at the knife, eyeing every small detail.  
  
"You're family's dead. You might as well be."  
  
The silver of the sharp blade reflected in Kai's mahogany eyes.  
  
"Heh, we'll all miss you a while, but we'll get over it."  
  
Kai blinked. He was severely thinking. This could very well be the decision that would alter his life forever. He didn't want to make the wrong one. The wind stung his cheek, as if scolding for him to hurry with his choice.  
  
"You've got no more family to grieve for you. Besides, I get over my sadness quickly and Sarah won't lose much. She's got me now."  
  
That did it. Tala had just stepped on precarious territory. Kai immediately raised his head to meet Tala's smug smirk and cocky blue eyes. Tala tilted his head to one side slightly and pushed his hand further towards Kai. "Well...? Kai...? What do you say?"  
  
Kai snatched the knife from Tala's hand. "What do you take me for? You're such a cocky gloat, but don't let me plague your life any longer, Tala. I'll just step aside, why don't I? I'll give you a break-you've always been trying to compete with me, to no avail, no surprise. Admit it, Tala. You've always been jealous than me because I've always been more appreciated and stronger than you."  
  
Normally, Tala would have broken out into a frustrated argument, but he just shook it off this time. He shrugged his shoulders and looked back up at Kai. "Oh well. Yeah, I admit it...or I would have admitted it-until the day I won more than you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm talking about...her..."  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes and lowered his head. He cast his glance to the knife, thinking deeply about it, even though he had already given his consent to Tala. He looked back at Tala, who stood with a smirk, hands in his pockets, as if waiting for a pathetic excuse for a performance to begin.  
  
"Kai..."  
  
Sarah opened her eyes and sat up in bed at the flash of lightning and crash of thunder from outside. She glanced towards the window to see a figure standing there. There came another flash of lightning that illuminated it. "Tala!" she gasped.  
  
Kai slowly raised the knife so that it was at arm's length from his chest. He stared at the tip of the silver blade but then at Tala as the redhead spoke.  
  
"Come on, Kai. Four homicides for one suicide. It's a fair deal, don't you concur?"  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes at Tala. "Just zip it, will you?"  
  
"Tala! Tala! Wake up!" Sarah cried hysterically as she shook him vigorously.  
  
"It's the middle of the night..." Tala replied in a groggy slur as he moved along with Sarah's arm against his bare shoulder.  
  
Sarah took her arms away from his pale skin and placed them akimbo. "Fine, then. It's not my fault if he's dead in the morning! Kai has a knife!" she yelled.  
  
"That's nice..."  
  
Kai took a deep breath. He would do it, no turning back. He closed his eyes and gulped ominously as Tala folded his arms.  
  
"Tala! Get up now, or I'll use the knife to kill myself, too!"  
  
That galvanized him into action. His eyes opened and his blurred vision came into focus. He sat up to see Sarah staring down at him with an intense scowl. Tala turned his head to the window where sure enough, was Kai with a knife. He threw the covers off himself and hastened over to the blue-haired boy.  
  
Kai took another deep breath in. Here he was. Now, Goadbwa would take down the two remaining Hilanovs easily, and they would steal the souls of the world to utilise them as Bit Beasts. Thirteen years of his only life...and for what? Nothing. He had been hardened by tragic events throughout his past, hardening him into this shell of a person now that forbid him from realizing all that life had to offer.  
  
He didn't want Tala to tell him what to think, because he didn't care this time. He didn't want Sarah to tell him what to believe because she wouldn't be there to catch him when he fell to the ground. He didn't want Boris to tell him how life was, because he didn't really want to know. He didn't want Rhea to tell him how this game ended-he wanted to experience it himself. He knew that everyone would need him the most when he was gone, and despite what Tala had said, everyone would miss him.  
  
Most of all, he wanted someone he loved to hold onto him. He knew he couldn't stay long, but he wanted to tell them that he loved them and that he wasn't afraid. But would they be able to hear him? Could they feel him in their arms. Here he was, holding his last breath, safe inside himself. Were all his thoughts and dreams sweet raptured light? They'd end here tonight. He'd found the white forest and his fate hiding in a hollow tree.  
  
It started with one thing, though he didn't know why. It didn't even matter how hard he tried. He kept everything inside and even though he tried, it all fell apart. What it meant to him would eventually be a memory of a time when he tried so hard and got so far. But in the end, it didn't even matter. He had to fall to lose it all, but in the end, it didn't even matter. He put his trust in Tala and Sarah, had pushed as far as he could go. And for all this, he felt that there was one thing they should know; he loved them (A/N: Tala in a brotherly way, not yaoi).  
  
With that, he gulped once more and let his hand thrust the blade forward.  
  
"Kai!" Tala yelled as he lunged at Kai.  
  
The blade was barely a hair's breadth away from Kai's chest when he felt someone tackle him from the side. He then felt something hard and bony grind against his chest before being thrown off balance to the ground.  
  
Kai lifted his head slowly to scrutinize the dark room, having woken up. He saw Sarah standing to the side with a stunned look, Tala crouched in a tight ball, and the knife he had taken from the kitchen, now blood- coated.  
  
"What happened?" Kai asked with a flustered expression.  
  
Sarah looked him in the eye as if surprised and then displayed hurt innocence. She walked around the end of his bed and knelt down beside him. "You were trying to stab yourself, Kai. With that knife. You weren't aware of that? And where did you get it from, anyway?"  
  
Kai turned to her and looked at her in confusion. "I-I'm not dead...No, I wasn't aware of that...not really, anyway...though I was trying to do it in my dream...I got it from the kitchen."  
  
Sarah paused to think a moment, still watching him worriedly. "You know, dreams can tell you about your future."  
  
"Let's hope that's not the future he faces," Tala managed to say as he rocked back and forth, cradling his arm in his chest.  
  
Kai crawled over to Tala's side. "Are you okay? What happened?"  
  
Tala continued to rock back and forth. Slowly, he took his right hand away from his chest and forced his wrist into Kai's face over his shoulder. "Heh...Is that your favourite phrase, now?" he chuckled.  
  
Kai gasped on seeing the gaping wound on Tala's wrist. The reddish- purple liquid trailed down Tala's arm in small rivulets, the moon's light causing it to glisten. One of the veins in his wrist had been severed as he had tried to protect Kai. Kai looked at his chest-bloodless. He hadn't been hit, though Tala had. He looked back up at Tala. "You didn't have to do that."  
  
Tala didn't turn around to face him, though Kai felt that he was wearing a smile that was trying to conceal the pain. He pulled his hand back into his chest. "Of course I did. How would we defeat Goadbwa without you? I had to save a fellow prophesied one. Besides, even though we're not of the same blood, you're my brother. My equal. I don't know what I'd do without you."  
  
Kai simpered. "Thank you, Tala."  
  
"You should thank Sarah, too. If she hadn't woken me up so violently, you probably wouldn't be with us now."  
  
Kai turned to Sarah behind him, who had a relieved smile on her face. "Don't mention it. It was a team effort, you know? Come on, we'd better get Tala to either Boris or the infirmary."  
  
'Team...' The word echoed in Kai's head. That was the key. The key to defeating Goadbwa was teamwork. The Hilanovs' friendship alone would have the power to defeat Goadbwa and bring the world salvation. This generation of Hilanovs was not going to go down in flames.  
  
"But one more thing-" Sarah interrupted his reverie.  
  
The two boys looked up at her.  
  
"You're an awful complicated sleepwalker, Kai." 


	17. Swing Time

17. Swing Time  
  
"Thank you, Irina," Boris said as the black-haired woman set a food-laden dish down in front of him. As Irina sat back down in her chair, Boris looked up at the rest of them sitting around the table and nodded, signalling them to eat.  
  
Almost immediately, they all dove in-especially Tyson. He took advantage of everything on the long, rectangular table, indulging in what the Biovolt cooks had to offer of the Russian cuisine. A couple of the others paused with their utensils halfway to their mouth, observing the boy with wide eyes.  
  
Sarah kept glancing at Kai on her right. He was eating rather slowly, slicing through the meat cautiously and chewing with even more wariness as if he felt someone was trying to poison him. She couldn't stand it anymore. "Kai? What's wrong?" she asked softly.  
  
Kai hesitated and put down his knife and fork. "I'm just thinking..."  
  
"About what?" interrogated Tala, who had obviously been eavesdropping on the conversation.  
  
Kai turned to Tala on Sarah's left, his scowl intensifying. "That dream..."  
  
Tala and Sarah looked at each other before turning back to Kai. "It's been like that all day, hasn't it?" asked Sarah.  
  
Kai nodded solemnly. "Since I awoke this morning."  
  
"I wonder if that dream wasn't of his subconscious..."  
  
Sarah turned to Tala. "What do you mean?"  
  
Tala swallowed what he had been chewing on and began to fork another piece. "I mean what if that dream wasn't his own?"  
  
"How can it not be his own if he dreamed it?"  
  
"Remember how you were possessed?"  
  
Sarah stared at him blankly a moment before it finally clicked. "Oh! Of course! Maybe Vitality Extortion found a way to make him have that dream. That would explain the suicidal bit. They knew that if he was gone, the two of us would fall easily."  
  
"Exactly," coached Tala as he turned back to his food. "It's psychological warfare."  
  
"Attention, everyone-I have an announcement to make."  
  
The feasters around the table all turned to Boris at one of the heads. "I am pleased to announce that we have a new Head Guard- Victor Khrushchev," he vociferated solemnly as he gestured to a brown-haired, blue- eyed man on his right.  
  
There was only a select group that was sitting around the table consisting of the Biovolt executives, BBA officials and Hilanovs along with their teams. The executive included Boris, Voltaire, Irina, Lutka, Leon, Victor, Nikita, the head technician, Yakov, the training divisions superintendent, Mr. Dickenson, Judy and Nigel.  
  
In Galsky Castle, a similar meal was taking place. Vitality Extortion was seated around the wooden table along with Phoebe, Ophelia, Marduk, Gilepse and some other important Goadbwa members. And like Boris, Gilepse was making an announcement.  
  
"Tomorrow I shall be leaving for the other International Goadbwa branches..."  
  
"...to the other International Biovolt branches where I will be asking the commanders for their aide against combating Goadbwa..." Boris continued.  
  
"...Combating Biovolt by using the trainees from the other branches..."  
  
"...With their help, we should be able to defeat Goadbwa easily."  
  
"...To defeat Biovolt easily..."  
  
"...After all, there is strength in numbers..."  
  
"How many branches do you have to visit?" Philemon questioned.  
  
"There are several branches for me to visit..." explained Gilepse. "The first one is in Ottawa, Canada with Commander Albert Gimli...He's in charge of the Victor Dome..."  
  
"The first one I'm going to is the Ekkaren Building in Toronto, Canada, commandeered by Cedric Graham..."  
  
"The third Goadbwa branch is in Nagano, Japan and is called the Miyato Tower. The commander is Satoshi Anzen..."  
  
"The third Biovolt department is in Tokyo, Japan and is the Ikoru Geofront. I shall be speaking to Haku Shinzo there..."  
  
"Goadbwa branch number four is in Sydney, Australia where the commander is Dawn Bond..."  
  
"The fourth Biovolt branch is in Europe-London, England. The commander's name is Charles Boleyn..."  
  
"The fifth Goadbwa branch is in Cape Town, South Africa. Mahmood Bhotta's the commander there..."  
  
"Biovolt's fifth branch is in Canberra, Australia. Sheila Wulumu is a rather good director..."  
  
"Berlin, Germany holds the sixth Goadbwa office. Kurt Brandez will be pleased to see me..."  
  
"In Egypt I'll talk to Ishizu Ayyub, the commanding officer of the sixth training facility..."  
  
"The seventh and final Goadbwa location is Brasilia, Brazil. Nelson Senna is the head honcho there..."  
  
"An unlikely place, but excellent for testing, the last Biovolt bureau is in Antarctica. You have to admire Septimus Fornax's determination..."  
  
"I will be taking one of the helicopters and going solo, so Vice President Deneb will be left in charge while I'm gone. You informed him of that, right, Ophelia?"  
  
The blonde-haired woman nodded. "Yes, but he said that he had other arrangements for tonight when I invited him for this dinner."  
  
"That's okay, as long as he knows," Gilepse replied.  
  
"I will be taking one of the helicopters and I would like Sarah and Samson to come with me. I would like the commanders to meet my niece and nephew. I would have asked that Irina and Nigel go to, but you're busy with programming work, Nigel, and you're needed to keep things in order around here, Irina. I'm leaving you in charge, Voltaire, so if you need any help you should see Irina."  
  
"I thought I you that I had other matters to attend to for the next few days?" Voltaire asked, slightly panicked.  
  
"Yes, but surely those matters won't take up the whole time I'm away?" Boris countered.  
  
"I'm afraid they will."  
  
Boris stared at him a moment, stunned. "Very well, then. Irina, you're in full command."  
  
The woman acknowledged the remark with a stiff nod of her head.  
  
"Aren't you going to take Kai and Tala with you?" Tyson asked.  
  
"I was planning for them to continue their training along with the rest of you. The final battle is approaching rapidly. Have you finished with the uniform repairs yet, Lutka and Judy?"  
  
"They're ready, sir," Judy answered.  
  
"Tala?" Sarah whispered to the boy on her left. "Are you okay?"  
  
He had his head down and fists clenched on his lap, quivering as if in extreme anger. He wasn't answering her consoling queries.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Kai inquired, leaning close to Sarah's ear so as mot to be heard.  
  
She turned to him. "I don't' know. Though he's been like that for the past couple of minutes. There must be something wrong." Sarah looked at Tala again. "Tala?" she repeated, nudging him this time.  
  
He sat there quivering a moment longer before leaping up out of his chair, drawing the attention from everyone else's conversations. He lifted his head and all with a clear view of his face could see the possessive anger in his abnormally glowing eyes. They shone like two neon blue lights for a minute or so while he stood there, but then started to morph into a bright blood red. Placing his hands underneath the frame of the heavy table, he lifted, upending it easily to send plates, the tablecloth and food crashing down upon the ones on the opposite side of the table. They managed to get out of their chairs in time before the actual table fell and stood staring in horror along with everyone else.  
  
Sarah stepped away from him, backing into Kai, who placed his hands on her shoulders should she make any daring moves. Bryan, who was on the other side of Tala, also stepped away, though he still had a calm look on his face.  
  
"How did he upend the table like that? It took Victor, Leon, Yakov and I to move it into place!" exclaimed Nikita.  
  
"Everyone, remain calm and leave the room slowly. Don't turn your back on him and don't make any sudden moves. Lutka, get to the main control room and check his sensors for malfunction," ordered Boris.  
  
Most of them did as he had said, Lutka, once out the door, dashing down the stairs to the ground level. Kai, Sarah and Anya were unwilling to move, though. She approached him slowly, holding her arms out as if he was an untamed animal. "Tala, it's me, Anya. What's happening?"  
  
"Anya! Stay away from him!" Boris cried.  
  
"But he's my brother!" she protested. She moved closer and stood a foot away from him. "Tala..." There was tension as no one in the room moved, staring at the scene-Boris in the doorway and Sarah and Kai to the side.  
  
With lightning agility, Tala reached out with both arms and grasped both hands around his sister's neck. He slowly began to tighten his grip as Anya gagged and struggled to get free.  
  
Sarah felt Kai's hands lift off of her shoulder and saw him shoot forward into Tala, knocking him off balance as Tala had done to him. Tala let go of Anya's neck as he hurtled to the ground along with Kai. Anya stepped back and took a deep breath in, rubbing her neck regretfully. Sarah rushed over to her. "Are you okay, Anya?"  
  
Anya coughed and swallowed. "I-I think so..." She took her hand away from her neck to reveal a red mark where Tala's hands had been.  
  
Meanwhile, Kai was wrestling with Tala on the floor, trying to pin his shoulders down. He finally managed to do that and held him there for a moment or two while Tala remained dormant, calculating his next move like the cyborg he was. After that calculated moment, Tala struck again, jumping up and bringing Kai with him. He punched Kai, forcing the blue-haired boy to let go.  
  
Sarah watched as Kai fell to the ground and Tala stood frozen with his fist out. She rushed forward, away from the stunned Anya to Kai on the floor. "Kai! Are you okay?"  
  
"Sir! There's been a glitch in his operating system!" Lutka's voice exclaimed over the walkie-talkie at Boris' waist.  
  
He reached for it and held it to his mouth. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Remember how I told you that Tala went to the infirmary last night with a severed wrist vein? Well, it was a connection vein that was cut. Its laceration caused a contamination to the operation units and that is what is making the limb and instrumentality apparatuses malfunction."  
  
"Send me an immobilization projectile," Boris commanded.  
  
"But that could only worsen the contamination's toxicity, sir."  
  
"That's the risk we'll take, then."  
  
"Boris, sir, as his mother, I feel that I also have the power to decide the best method of incapacitating him. I suggest that we shut down all mechanisms and then restart the unit."  
  
"But that would mean reprogramming every aspect of the system..."  
  
"No, it wouldn't. We have a memory back-up chip. We'll just have to rewire him after," Lutka testified.  
  
"Very well, then. Do what you think is best, just hurry with it," Boris said as he looked up to see Tala now advancing on Sarah.  
  
"Yes, sir," came the quick reply before Boris reattached it to the belt at his waist.  
  
Tala had now lowered his hand and stood in front of Sarah, looming over her. She stared up at him in utter defiance but then it became trepidation as he reached down and grabbed the neck of her vest, pulling her to stand up. He lifted her to her tiptoes and then into mid-air as he raised his arm to full extent. The fabric rubbed against her neck, causing a burning sensation. Tala moved his right arm to the left slightly, Sarah swaying in his grip. Then, he brought his hand to the right, aiming for the window that led to the Abbey courtyard two floors below. He swung his arm, then buckled his knees and fell to the ground, Sarah falling from his grasp to flop down beside him. His shutdown had saved her a trip out the window to meet stone ground.  
  
"Take him to the east lab infirmary, Kieran," Boris instructed as the rest of the Blade Sovereign re-entered the room.  
  
Kieran did as he was told, taking Tala in outstretched arms and leaving the room to head down the staircase. Samson rushed over to Sarah, who lay stunned on the floor. Rhea stood in the doorway beside Boris, watching her brother sit up, having recovered from the shock.  
  
The next morning was grey and cloudy as the two Langley siblings followed their uncle through the main hall and into the courtyard where a helicopter was awaiting them. They had a suited Biovolt guard on each side, Victor being one of them.  
  
Victor held the door open for the three of them as they stepped into the helicopter. Kai watched from the deserted dormitory that he was to be sharing with Tala and Sarah as it lifted off from the stones and left the courtyard, then disappeared from sight. He was the only one in the dormitory now, since Tala had spent the night in the east lab infirmary and Sarah had now left the Abbey.  
  
He ran his hand over the large bruise on his left cheek. It hurt even to touch it lightly, and he was sure that eating and talking would hurt just as much, if not more. The bones certainly ached there.  
  
"Memory implantation complete. Terminating life support and wire connection systems," a male voice came over the loudspeaker of the infirmary.  
  
Lutka walked over to his bedside and began to disconnect the wires that were attached to the boy's head. When all the wires had retracted into the machine and his head was free, she closed the connection panel on the top of his head and took the mask away from his face. She sat down on the bed beside him and lay her hand on his cheek lovingly with tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
Tala cringed and then opened his eyes to full extent. Lutka could see that as his eyes focused, they changed colour. First blood red, and then their regular icy blue. He blinked and looked up to see his mother's watery eyes. He sat up immediately, startling her to pull away.  
  
"Mom..." he said as he stared at her with a slightly stunned look.  
  
She swallowed and smiled sadly. "Yes...?"  
  
Tala looked around the room and then at himself. He was wearing his blue fleece shirt and pants. He remembered having his other shirt and belts on before. He turned to the machine positioned above his head and then back to Lutka. "What happened?"  
  
"You had to be shut down. The artery that was severed yesterday night was an important connection. You were experiencing erratic behaviour," she said softly.  
  
"'Erratic behaviour'?" repeated Tala.  
  
"Oh yeah. And you've got witnesses to prove it. Just ask my throat or Kai's cheek."  
  
The two looked up to see Anya standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. She stepped forward and sat on the other side of the bed. Tala gasped on seeing the bright red mark on her neck as she indicated to it.  
  
"What happened? What did I do to you?"  
  
Anya blinked, as if hesitant to answer. "I was trying to calm you down and you attacked me. You tried to strangle me!"  
  
Tala looked down at the blankets, ashamed. "Sorry...What happened to Kai? And where is he?"  
  
Lutka turned to Anya, silently telling her to answer. "You punched him when he tried to intercept you. I'm not exactly sure where he is, though Rhea said she had been meaning to talk to him today. And you harmed your little girlfriend, too-"  
  
"Anya!" Lutka scolded.  
  
Anya ignored it. "You picked her up and almost threw her out of a second story window. You would've done it, too, had you not been shut down." Tala opened his mouth to speak but Anya interrupted him. "And before you ask any more about Sarah, she left an hour ago with Boris and Samson."  
  
There was a long silence between the three Romanovs. It was broken when Tala slipped out from under the covers and stood up. "I'm going to go apologize to Kai."  
  
"No, Tala. Sit. He knows your feelings," Lutka said, patting the area on the mattress beside her.  
  
Tala glared at her a moment before obeying the order. She placed a comforting hand on his knee. "Do you have all your memory back?"  
  
Tala continued to stare at the floor but nodded. Anya got up from the other side of the bed and sat down on Lutka's other side. She leaned across to look at her brother. "You okay? I forgive you."  
  
Tala nodded again but then gagged as a pair of arms enveloped him. Lutka squeezed him to her tightly. "Mom?" he managed to ask in a choked gasp.  
  
Lutka released him slightly. "I'm sorry, dear. It's just...You and Anya are all that I have left. If I were to loose the two-even one-of you...I don't know what I would do. And I feel that it's my fault that you never got a chance to see your father, Tala..."  
  
"Oh, that's right...Dad disappeared a few month after Tala was born," Anya voiced.  
  
Lutka was now quivering, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Without a trace... He had left the Abbey one morning...to go to Galsky Castle on an errand for Boris... We then received a call that night...after we had worried for the rest of the day... It was Gilepse, saying that Sergei had never arrived at the Castle. No one knows what happened to him, only that he vanished on the way there... He's been missing for thirteen years, and...there can be no possibility that he's alive today..."  
  
Lutka now burst into uncontrollable tears, covering her face with both hands and sinking down to her lap. Tala and Anya watched her, not really knowing what to do. Anya glanced at Tala before leaning down along with Lutka. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll always be here for you. I'm not going to die on you."  
  
Anya glanced at Tala again and mouthed for him to say the same thing. Tala looked to the window. "I can't make the same promise..."  
  
Lutka sat up and took her hands away from her face as Anya looked shocked and angered. Tala continued. "I can't make the same promise...because of my duty as a Hilanov. I can't guarantee my life-not while Goadbwa still exists."  
  
Lutka began to smile again. "I...I don't think you would have needed to know your father, Tala..."  
  
"Why?" questioned Anya.  
  
"Because...that's exactly what Sergei Romanov would have said..." Lutka suddenly found her black high-heeled shoes rather interesting. "I just wish that you two didn't have to fight against your godfather..."  
  
"What?!" exclaimed Anya, he expression changing from sympathy to anger. "What do you mean? My godfather is someone that's my enemy?!"  
  
Lutka looked back up sadly. "Yes. I'm afraid that Gilepse Galsky is your godfather."  
  
*  
  
"Kai?"  
  
The brown-eyed boy turned around and looked up at the doorway. Rhea stood there in her regular black clothing. She seemed just as lifeless as always. "Yes?"  
  
"May I come in? I'd like to speak to you."  
  
Kai lay his Beyblade that he had been fiddling with on his bedside table. He turned back around to look out the window. "Sure..."  
  
Rhea slowly walked across the room silently, passing Tala and Sarah's neatly made beds. She sat down beside him on his bed and placed her hands in her lap. She sat quietly, looking out the window along with him for a minute or two.  
  
After that, she finally turned to him. "I believe you wanted to know about mother and father?"  
  
Kai's eyes widened as he observed outside the window for a moment longer and then looked at her with them. "How did you know?"  
  
Rhea paused before replying. "I can tell by the way you act. You want something. I just made the inference that you wanted the knowledge of our parents."  
  
"Well you guessed right. I became more curious since I had this dream..."  
  
"Where they were killed in a car crash," she finished.  
  
Kai had looked downwards at the floor but his head now shot up again. "How do you know all this?"  
  
Rhea turned away from him and to the window. She closed her eyes. "You had a dream where you were in the playground of a clearing in a forest, and the other teams were young children. Then Bryan, Eva, and Tyson died, Boris came by, and Sarah accused you of killing them. You then walked through the forest at night where you came to a different clearing with four knotholed trees. Inside the first, you saw our parents in the car crash, in the second you saw my death, in the third, you witnessed Grandfather's, and in the fourth, yours. Then Tala came to you with a knife telling you to kill yourself."  
  
Kai stared at her in astonishment. "Th-that's amazing!"  
  
Rhea opened her eyes and lowered her head. "Yes. Isn't it? But it's not the truth that you saw."  
  
"The Hiwataris aren't going to die like that?" Kai asked hopefully.  
  
"You mean the Hiwataris didn't die like that," she corrected. She turned to him again. "Our parents didn't die because of a car crash. Though I'm sure that Grandfather and my fates were envisioned correctly."  
  
"If they didn't die from the crash, then why did they die? And what about my death?"  
  
"I doubt that that's how you'll die. Sarah may love Tala more than you, but she doesn't hate you, and you know that. And even if she did-she wouldn't kill you. Not like that, anyway-"  
  
"Do you know if she does love Tala? Or is she just being polite?" Kai interrupted.  
  
Rhea made a slight scowl at him. "Why are you asking me?"  
  
Kai turned away and lowered his head to the ground again. "Sorry. Continue."  
  
Rhea was silent for a moment but then continued. "Our parents didn't die like that. Trust me, I saw their actual death.  
  
"They had left the Abbey to go on an errand for Boris. They were heading for Galsky Castle. Before they had left, they were both feeling a ill, and so Boris injected them with a solution he had mixed himself. I had seen him make it. He was following an order from Voltaire."  
  
"Rhea?"  
  
She turned to her brother. "Why do you call Grandfather 'Voltaire'?"  
  
"If I call him by his first name, then I don't have to say his last name, which would mean he's a relative of mine. And since he's not my relative, why should I call him 'Grandfather'? I'm ashamed to be his granddaughter. Let alone know him."  
  
"Oh. That makes sense..."  
  
"May I continue? As I had said, he was following an order from Voltaire. He personally injected them with the solution and then sent them off on the errand. It was by chance that they were involved in the collision, and they actually survived it. They were just knocked out and taken back to Biovolt-as you had seen.  
  
"While they were in the infirmary at the Abbey, the solution had affected their systems. They died in the beds, Boris onlooking silently and with you and I at his side. Irina came forward to Boris and told him that they were dead. I remember how you asked me what 'dead' meant. I told you that it meant they were no longer with us. You protested that they were still in the bed. I corrected myself, saying that those were just bodies and their souls were gone. You then waddled over to the bed and grabbed Mother's arm. You shook it and screamed for her to wake up. When that didn't work, you did the same to Father, only to meet the same conclusion.  
  
"You cried for the next few days, refusing to train or eat. You would cry yourself to sleep, and that was when you met Tala. He showed you that you had to move on with your life and not dwell on things like that. I recall him saying, 'Don't hesitate, move ahead.' One so young, yet one so wise."  
  
"But what was in the solution that killed them?" Kai interrogated.  
  
"Castor bean oil," she replied simply.  
  
The two were silent for a long time. Kai broke the tension. "Did anyone else know about what Boris had done?"  
  
"No, only the two of us. But now, you know, too."  
  
Rhea stood up and headed for the door, but not before pushing a photograph into Kai's clenched fist after another long silence. It was crumpled, so he uncrumpled it and stared at it a moment, his eyes widening. He whirled around.  
  
"Rhea-Hang on a second."  
  
She stopped and turned back to Kai.  
  
"In my dream-you were possessed by someone called 'Crucis' and you said that that was how you would probably die-by jumping off a cliff after she forced you. So if that's true...then...that would mean that you're..."  
  
"Possessed, I know." With that, she turned and sauntered down the hall, leaving Kai to stare in stunned silence. 


	18. Fine Again

18. Fine Again  
  
Boris stepped off the helicopter and onto the frigid ice platform. The two Langleys followed swiftly after, Samson jumping down and slipping on it. Sarah glanced down at him, trying to suppress a giggle as he turned to Boris, who didn't seem as jovial. Boris kept his gaze on him for a moment before turning away.  
  
Sarah stepped down cautiously and helped her brother up as a man appeared in the doorway of a large glass and ice dome a few metres ahead. The man, who was bundled up in a full-scale parka, sunglasses and boots said something softly to a bodyguard at his side before turning to Boris. He held his arms out welcomingly. "President Balkov! How good it is to see you again!"  
  
Boris fiddled with the zipper of his parka for a moment before returning the greeting. "Commander Fornax! Yes, likewise. I see that the facility is progressing well."  
  
Commander Fornax moved over to stand beside Boris and looked at the icy structure before them. "Yes, Boris, sir. The Antarctic Dome is made of glass, ice, and a few other basic materials. Here in the Antarctic, we have new building materials because of the sub-zero temperatures." He cast a glance at the two on Boris' left. "And who might these two be?"  
  
Boris turned to them. He stepped out of the way so that Septimus had a better view of them. "This is my niece and nephew, Sarah and Samson."  
  
"Hi..." "Salutations..." The two greeted with a salute each.  
  
"It's nice to meet you," he replied.  
  
"You should know Sarah as Celeste. Remember-the select cryogenation subject?" Boris said in a hushed voice to Septimus so that Samson and Sarah couldn't hear.  
  
Septimus' smile disappeared from his face. "Yes," he answered in the same hushed tone. "She's doing well. Thirteen, is it?"  
  
Boris nodded as Commander Fornax turned back to the dome, raising his voice once again. "Well, it's getting chilly out here, so we'd better head inside, don't you think? We can discuss in there what we're going to do about this final battle."  
  
*  
  
"It was nice of you to accompany me on the trip home, but are you absolutely sure about this, Commander Brandez? Is Hans truly willing to give up something that important just for the sake of our victory?" Gilepse asked as he walked swiftly down the hallway of Galsky Castle.  
  
"I can assure you that Hans knows what he wants. When he says something, he means it," replied the German commander.  
  
Gilepse glanced at the young teenage boy following briskly behind Commander Brandez and himself. The boy was as tall as Anya, with blond hair and blue eyes, though he walked with the solemnity of Tala. He was staring at the floor, seemingly detached from his surroundings. He wore a dark brown turtleneck and full-length pants of the same colour. The Russian president suddenly felt sympathy. The boy was so young, yet he was ready to die.  
  
"Gilepse, sir?"  
  
Ophelia's voice startled him from his reverie. He turned to the left, where she had recently appeared out of nowhere. "Yes, Ophelia, what is it?"  
  
"We are ready to commence Operation: H Soul."  
  
"Good. This is our subject for today," he said, gesturing to Hans, who looked up.  
  
Ophelia stopped and stared at the boy in astonishment. The other three walked past him, Gilepse turning his head slightly to watch her while the two Germans continued their pace. She shook her head and sped up to catch up with them.  
  
Gilepse, Ophelia, Kurt, Deneb (who had appeared for this exclusive operation) and a few of the Goadbwa technicians and scientists stood in the testing facility control room, observing the scene through the glass window. Some of the Goadbwa staff were seated in front of computers and keyboards while the others stood by the window with clipboards to record their observations.  
  
In the testing facility itself stood Vitality Extortion and Hans. Hans was in the middle of the room while the other three had formed a triangle around him on the white tiled floor. Vitality Extortion had their regular street clothes on-Spica wearing the ones she had while controlling Sarah, Telesto wearing a yellow T-shirt with black and white vest with white pants that had characters in red along the sides. His boots were laced and yellow. Kuiper wore a blue turtleneck long-sleeved shirt with white and orange vest with the Goadbwa logo on the left side of his chest. He had two belts hanging from another one, which held up white pants with three orange stripes down each side. He had knee-high boots with straps across the foot.  
  
"Hans, are you absolutely sure about this?" Gilepse questioned the boy, speaking into a microphone. His voice was projected through a PA system so that it echoed around the test facility through a speaker positioned high in one of the wall corners.  
  
Hans closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Yes, sir. I'm ready."  
  
Gilepse turned as he heard a sigh come from Ophelia. "What is it?"  
  
"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head. "The incubation tube is ready. You may start any time now."  
  
Gilepse continued to stare at her a moment longer before casting a meaningful glance at the short grey-haired, beady-eyed Commander Brandez. The German man nodded and with a small sigh, Gilepse turned back to the microphone. "Spica, begin operation."  
  
"Yes, sir," came her reply. She fitted her Beyblade to her shooter and positioned it, ready to fire. She aimed at Hans' feet and shot it. At his feet was where it landed. "Revenost! You know what to do!"  
  
Spica's black blade began to glow purple from the light of her Bit Beast. The humanlike figure that was Revenost rose from the Beyblade. It looked like a female, Hans could see. She had long hair that trailed loosely down her back. It ascend high into the air, and then Hans closed his eyes, bracing for the onslaught.  
  
Sure enough, Revenost plunged downward towards the blond boy. It drove right through him, Hans looking utterly petrified before becoming dormant and dropping to the ground. Spica watched with the most horror-struck expression that her cold-hearted personality would permit. She let out a small gasp as the boy fell to the ground, suddenly realizing what she had done and how attractive he was-physically and mentally. She swallowed, but then gasped again, louder this time as she heard someone call her name.  
  
"Spica? Are you okay?" It was Kuiper, and he had a suspicious and confused look on his face.  
  
Spica immediately concealed her sadness and shock. Her scowl returned. She turned away from him. "Of course I am. He was just a stupid kid, nothing more. How dim-witted can you be to give up your whole life that easily? What a wimp..."  
  
"You may dispose of the corpse, Gilepse," Kurt said softly.  
  
Gilepse turned to Ophelia. "Do we have the soul?"  
  
"Yes, sir. It is in the incubation tube and is undergoing contamination scanning."  
  
Gilepse turned back to the microphone. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "Telesto, you know what to do."  
  
"I'm a whole step ahead of you, sir," the boy replied as he took his gun out from the holster on his belt. Smirking, he prepared it and then aimed at the cadaver on the floor. He placed his index finger on the trigger and paused for a minute, casting quick glances up at his teammates. Spica looked worried while Kuiper seemed devoid of emotion. They were both staring at the body. Telesto lowered the gun and continued to stare at Spica. "What's wrong? I thought you didn't care about Hans."  
  
Spica looked up, a stunned expression on her face. She folded her arms and glowered at him. "Of course I don't, so just quit it with the excuses already and shoot him, or I will!" she huffed.  
  
Telesto lifted his arm and aimed once more. "Very well, then. Here goes." He fiddled with the trigger for a moment and then cocked it.  
  
*  
  
"You're back. It's been quiet around the Abbey without you," said Kieran as Samson entered the room and flopped down on the bed, throwing his bag and spilling its contents.  
  
"Yeah...I'm back...and glad to be, too. It was fun seeing all these others countries and continents but Russia is my home," Samson replied.  
  
Kieran kept his hands in his pockets as he scrutinized the six souvenirs from the other six other continents that Samson had visited. He turned to the brown-haired boy. "You've never lived outside of Russia, have you?"  
  
Samson sat up, since he had been lying down before. "No. But you weren't in the Abbey all your life, were you?"  
  
"No. Of course not-you know that. You didn't know me until two years ago. I lived in China with my sister before that. Then we parted our ways as I went to Russia with our father and she took our mother to go to Canada."  
  
Samson looked Kieran straight in the eye. "Are your parents divorced?"  
  
Kieran turned away from his impending stare and to the window. "No, they just don't live together. They still keep in touch, but every so often have thought about getting one. They're just staying together for Eva's and my sake. It's an on and off thing, you know?"  
  
"Oh, so sometimes they love each other and other times they hates each other?"  
  
"Yeah, that's basically it. Though Eva doesn't know that. They figured that she would be too young to handle that crushing information."  
  
Samson turned his gaze to his lap. "That considerate of them, though- to take their children into account. Not many parents would do that."  
  
There was a silence between the two boys as Samson stared at his lap and Kieran out the window. Kieran finally turned around, creating a shuffle and causing Samson to look up. "What?" he asked.  
  
Kieran cast his gaze sideways so as to avoid direct eye contact. "Samson...I would like to go back to China one day, and maybe you'd like to come with me?"  
  
Samson's face lit up. "Sure!"  
  
Kieran shifted his gaze back to the greenish-blue eyed boy. "But, seriously...there's one more thing I have to indulge..."  
  
Samson watched with stunned silence as the red-eyed boy sat down beside him, rather close for comfort. Kieran leaned in closer to Samson so that he was barely a centimetre away from his ear. Samson pulled away slightly, uneasy, but Kieran took his hands from his pockets and placed them on Samson's shoulders, not allowing him to move. "I just want to tell you something, Samson. I don't want anyone else to hear." Samson stopped squirming and sat still as Kieran leaned closer again. "I have strange feelings that are instigated by-"  
  
"Kieran! What are you doing to Samson?!"  
  
The two boys looked up, Kieran pulling away though keeping his hands on Samson's shoulders. Anya was standing in the doorway, looking quite disgusted.  
  
Kieran pulled away from Samson and stood up. "I was telling him something. Is there anything wrong with that?"  
  
Anya had a suspicious look on her face as she eyed Samson. "No...I guess not. What were you telling him?"  
  
"That, my dear Anya, is none of your business."  
  
She folded her arms huffily. "I'm not important enough, am I? I'll bet you Rhea knows whatever it is that you're telling him. I'm left out, eh?"  
  
Kieran closed his eyes and lowered his head. "That's true. Rhea does know of my secret."  
  
Anya opened her mouth to protest when an announcement came over the PA system. "Second Hilanovs and teams to the east lab infirmary. I repeat: second Hilanovs and teams to the east lab infirmary."  
  
"'Second Hilanovs'? What does that mean?" Samson questioned no one in particular.  
  
"I think it would mean the second child of each generation. That would be you and Tala," Anya voiced.  
  
"How do you know that they're the second Hilanovs?" Kieran asked.  
  
Anya unfolded her arms and placed them akimbo. "Rhea's birthday is May 30, Samson's is June 6, and mine is December 4. Sarah was born July 20, 1980, while Tala was born March 20 and Kai was born November 20, both 10 years later. Unless they're not taking that into account and Sarah is considered the middle child. In that case, it would be the Langleys."  
  
"But if they meant the second sibling born, then there would be three of us-Kai, Tala and I. Sarah wouldn't be included because she is technically older than me," Samson explained.  
  
"You're on the right track, Samson," a dull voice said from the doorway.  
  
The three looked up to see Rhea standing right behind Anya, who jumped. "Yargh! How long have you been standing there? It's not nice to sneak up on people like that!"  
  
Rhea ignored her and continued to speak. "They want the second generation, but they want Sarah, not you. She's mentally younger than you are, and so she fits more in the category of Kai and Tala."  
  
"Boris, sir? They're all here," Lutka reported to the man.  
  
Boris turned away from the papers he had been arranging. "Very well. Tell Judy to begin the explanation."  
  
Lutka nodded and left the room. She stood at Judy's side, who stood facing the three teams and whispered Boris' orders. Judy nodded and Lutka departed. The blonde woman turned back to them. "Well...seems I'll have to do the explaining as that is what Boris wants me to do. To start from the beginning, do you guys know why you're here?"  
  
"No," a few replied while the others shook their heads.  
  
"Okay then, I'll take it from the top. You three know that you are the vital links in the final battle, right?" Judy asked, turning to the Hilanovs.  
  
Kai nodded while the other two said, "Yes."  
  
Judy turned back to the others. "Fact is, they're not the only important ones, at least not by themselves. They'll need your help, too, Bryan, Eva and Tyson. And they need you because you're their vital links. You are their primary soul supports. As for the rest of you-"  
  
"'Primary soul supports'? What's that supposed to mean?" Tyson enquired.  
  
"It means that they derive their power from you. If their spirits are weak or need energy, they'll take it from your spirit. They can take that power from you, and only you. Everyone has a soul support, though not everyone knows who theirs is, let alone the person themselves."  
  
"Then how do you know that they are our soul supports?" Kai grilled suspiciously.  
  
Judy glanced at the clipboard in her hands and then back up at them. "Because Biovolt has run numerous tests and searches and according to the Prophecy, the soul supports of the chosen ones are on the soul support list within the tomb."  
  
"Our names are in the Prophecy, too?" Bryan questioned, rather interested now.  
  
Judy nodded. "Yes. Now if you have no other questions, may I continue? As I was saying, for the rest of you-we called you here because we wanted you to witness this because apart from the leaders of the other three teams, you are the next most vital links to the Hilanovs. And if our calculations are wrong, we'd like to have you on hand just in case you are the actual one we're looking for. Now may we begin the operation?"  
  
Eva leapt forward. "What operation?"  
  
"They'll need your spirit support for the final battle," Judy said as she turned away. She led them into the infirmary where Boris, Irina, Nigel, Kenny, Emily and Derek were standing.  
  
"Censors ready to record status levels, ma'am. We may begin," informed Kenny, who had just finished typing something on Dizzi.  
  
"Wire them up and make sure that the Beyblades are connected with no flaws," Irina directed.  
  
"No defects. Test subjects ready for wiring," Derek replied as he finished with the connection wires that linked the Beyblades to the computers to wires with nothing at the end.  
  
"Come here, you three," Irina told Kai, Tala, and Sarah. They obeyed the order and stood beside her.  
  
She took Tala's arm in her hand, rolled up his sleep and embedded a wire inside his skin. Tala yelped in pain and pulled away. Kai seemed devoid of expression while Sarah appeared rather astonished. Tala analyzed the area on his forearm where Irina had forced in the clip-wire end. The clip-wire had formed a laceration to the skin and blood was now beginning to seep through it. He looked back up, anger in his eyes. "What did you do that for?!"  
  
Irina narrowed her eyes. "That's the only way it will attach to you. These aren't suction wires, boy."  
  
"Why can't we use suction wires, then, Mother?" Sarah countered.  
  
She cast a slightly angered glance at her daughter and opened her mouth to speak when Boris intervened.  
  
"We can't use suction wires because they don't have the same effect as clip-wires. Clip-wires are embedded into the skin, and therefore penetrate the blood vessels, while suction wires simply stay on the surface of the skin. We need deep-penetration for this type of operation, otherwise there will be no effect on your Sacred Spirits or your souls, which is the whole purpose. You should just be grateful that we decided against using intravenous wires." He explained.  
  
Even Kai gulped on hearing the alternate, more gruesome option. Tala lowered his head and gave his arm back to Irina. She finished implanting the rest of the wires; another to his other arm, two to his neck, three to his chest and one to his forehead. Once she had finished, Tala stepped away and observed the wounds caused by the sharp ends of the wires while Irina moved on to Kai and then Sarah.  
  
When she had finished with her daughter, she paused, sighed and continued to stare at her longingly. Sarah, who had also been examining the wounds, noticed and looked up. "Yes?"  
  
Irina flashed a quick expression of surprise before turning away. "I'm sorry. It's nothing." As Irina turned away, she caught the eye of Boris, who was glaring back at her through the red lenses of his glasses. She stared a moment longer before blushing and fixing her gaze on the window. 'What is wrong with me? She'll be fine...she's one of the chosen ones-not to mention the strongest chosen one... And if Tala is the one she wants, then so be it...I'm not going to interfere with business that isn't mine..."  
  
"Very well. Stand in front of your soul support," instructed Nigel. The six lined up, forming two lines that made it appear as if they were to begin a dance.  
  
"I'm getting some readings from Sarah and Fovular but the other two's power levels are still at zero, Chief," Dizzi reported, displaying the numbers on her monitor.  
  
"Okay, now Kai, Tala, and Sarah, just raise your hands so that they are in front of your soul supports face. But there's no need to suffocate them, so keep your hand about a decimetre away," Emily ordered, looking over Kenny's shoulder.  
  
The three slowly raised their hands, following exactly what Emily had said. Eva closed her eyes and threw her head back torpidly while the other two stood staring at their captains dumbfoundedly. Sarah also closed her eyes and lowered her head. Her comrade began to glow a brilliant white while she shone yellow-the exact colours and shades of their Bit Beasts.  
  
"Whoa, Kenny...I'm getting some impressive readings from Sarah and Eva. Pegusar and Eva are getting weaker, while Fovular and Sarah's powers are growing rapidly. Nothing's happening with the others, though," Dizzi exclaimed as the levels indicating the Celestial Myriad girls were rising, just as she had said.  
  
After a few more seconds, the lights dissipated and Eva swayed dizzily for a moment before heading for the ground. Her knees buckled and she fell backwards, landing in the arms of Ray, who had been standing almost right behind her. Sarah, on the other hand had forced her eyes open and stepped back from Eva as if about to lose her balance. The bed that was behind her caught her fall, and unlike Eva, she was still conscious.  
  
Sarah glanced from Eva to Ray to Kai to Tala to Bryan to Tyson and then to Boris, looking rather dazed. "Wh-what just happened?"  
  
"Account...of...encounter...not...evident..." Judy mumbled as she scribbled on a piece of paper on her clipboard.  
  
Kai and Tala took their hands down and turned to Sarah in bewilderment. Sarah looked at the comatose Eva being held inches from the floor. "What happened to her? Will she be okay? How can she go into the final battle like this?!"  
  
Boris cast a quick glance down and then back to his niece. "Yes, she'll be fine. Her soul is just weak because of your withdrawal of strength from it. She'll be up and around in a couple of hours. Do you feel any stronger?"  
  
Sarah held her hand out in front of her and examined it innocently. "No. I don't feel any different at all." She glanced at her Beyblade that lay on top of the bed across from her. It was glowing brightly. Fovular seemed to illuminate with a new-found power. "Though Fovular seems to," she added with a smile.  
  
Boris turned to the four boys. "What puzzles me is why nothing's happening with you." He examined Dizzi's monitor and then the one that Nigel had been working on. "Everything seems fine. No problems, right?"  
  
"No, sir," Irina replied. "At least none that we can find."  
  
Boris stood up straight and glared down at them. "Try again."  
  
Kai and Tala raised their hands over Tyson and Bryan's faces once more. This time, Bryan's eyes closed slowly and he began to glow the blue shade of Falborg. Tyson also started to illuminate the blue light of his Dragoon. Kai and Tala shone red and green, though not as brightly as Sarah had yellow. Finally, Bryan and Tyson were thrown back as were Kai and Tala, though their Beyblades weren't glowing as Fovular had, in fact, they weren't glowing at all.  
  
Kenny tore his eyes away from the scene and to his laptop. "Well, Dizzi? Give me the numbers."  
  
"I don't know, Chief... The readings aren't very impressive, but Wolborg and Dranzer definitely received the souls. It's up to Boris whether that's satisfactory or not."  
  
Everyone in the room (that was conscious, anyway) turned to the purple-haired man. Boris lowered his head and took a few steps toward the exit of the room. "I think...it is satisfactory. For now, at least. Keep an eye on Tyson, Bryan, and Eva, clear up, and continue training." With that, he left the room.  
  
Once he reached his office, he flopped into his chair with a heavy sigh. He leaned forward onto the desk and propped his head up in his hands, staring at the desk with tired eyes. He took off his glasses and lay them on the desk before him, rubbing his temples thoughtfully. 'Ugh...How in the name of fate are we ever going to do this? We might as well just roll over and hand Goadbwa the world...'  
  
Boris looked up when he heard a rapping at the door. "Come in," he voiced loudly, and the guest willingly obliged.  
  
The door opened and a figure with a long black cloak stepped in through the door, closing it behind them. "Boris..." a low and throaty voice growled.  
  
Boris, who had lowered his head again, raised it. He scowled at the man in front of him as the man stepped towards his desk. Boris stood up. "What is it, Voltaire? I'm busy right now."  
  
Voltaire returned the upwards scowl at the tall man. "I wouldn't talk back like that. I could terminate your position faster than you can say 'You're fired'."  
  
"Fire me, I don't care anymore," Boris snapped, turning away and to the window. "I just want it all to be over. It's so frustrating to lead this whole company at a time like this, what with combating Goadbwa and all...there are also trainees to discipline, paperwork to manage, research to carry out..."  
  
Voltaire moved to Boris' side and peered out the window blackened by night that held their reflections. "I know, Boris, but that's the responsibility you took on when you accepted your status as Biovolt President. Besides, what would you say if Gilepse found this all quite easy and you were suffering?"  
  
Boris whipped around to face Voltaire, wide-eyed. "Gilepse is breezing along underneath all this?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And how do you know this?"  
  
Voltaire withdrew slightly but then regained his composure. "That's none of your business, Boris!"  
  
Boris turned back to the window and didn't answer.  
  
"But if you're finding this so hard, I may have the answer to one of your problems." Voltaire reached into his pocket and brought out a brown Beyblade with blue ghost-like Bit Beast. He held it in his palm so that Boris could reach out and take it. "This would be extremely useful in the final battle. It's a Beyblade with a special Bit Beast. It is the Sacred Spirit of a human being that makes it so strong-stronger than the ones the Demolition Boys have and possibly Black Dranzer, Wolborg and Fovular. It is the very soul, the very spirit of the human being-the ability it brings to easily synchronize with the Beyblader and cause the opponent mental and physical pain that makes it so unbelievably strong. It's yours, Boris, that is-if you want it. So what do you say-break a few moral rules and utilize this powerhouse or continue to lose with proper, legitimate tactics?"  
  
*  
  
"I'm not so sure about this final battle. What do you think, Kai?" Sarah asked as she turned to the blue-haired boy sitting on his bed.  
  
Kai's eyes narrowed longingly. "I don't know...it's all a waste of time to me."  
  
"I think that it's rather good, actually. We should fight for what's right, and Biovolt is counting on us to win. The whole world is counting on us to win," Tala said as he launched his Beyblade at the floor.  
  
Sarah sat on her bed, watching Tala practise while Kai was analyzing the picture that Rhea had given him on his.  
  
"What scares me a little though is that we may die," Tala added.  
  
"Death's a very queer thing," Kai replied, stuffing the picture into his pocket, standing up and taking his shooter from beside him on the bed. "It can sneak up on you like an assassin or be as ominous as the vast ocean. You can never know what it's like until you experience it."  
  
Tala watched Kai launch his blade. "Yeah, I know. And don't laugh at me, but...I'm a bit afraid of it."  
  
"We won't laugh at that fear, Tala. It's natural to be afraid of the unknown. In fact, that is what, more often than not, our fears actually are- of the unknown. You're not the only one, anyway. I'm scared, too," Sarah consoled, looking away.  
  
Kai closed his eyes. "I must say that I'm...I'm not really afraid. You feel no more pain, that's for sure. To me, that would be, like...paradise..."  
  
Tala and Sarah looked up puzzlingly. "Since when did you feel pain that made you want to escape it all?" they grilled in unison.  
  
Kai lifted his head and turned away, realizing the foolishness of what he had just said. "Never mind. It's not important."  
  
Sarah got up from the bed and sauntered over to Kai. She lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Yes it is important, Kai. We're your best friends. If you can't tell us, who can you tell?"  
  
Sarah felt Kai shudder under her hand and then pull violently away. "My dead parents," he muttered sarcastically, turned away from them. They could see that he was shaking with pure rage. After a silent moment, he whirled back around. "And do you know what killed them? It wasn't a car crash, it was your uncle, Sarah! Your uncle, Boris!"  
  
Sarah stepped back fearfully, Tala staring in shock, though he finally stepped forward. "Look, Kai-it's not her fault that Boris is her uncle, so you can't blame her. There's no need to go taking your anger out on us-"  
  
"Just zip it," Kai said in a much quieter tone, reforming the defensive shell.  
  
Tala backed down slightly after glancing at the innocently hurt Sarah. "Wh-...what did you say?"  
  
"I said just zip it!" Kai repeated, raising his voice once again. "You know what, Tala? You shouldn't have saved my life those few nights ago. All it brought me was this bruise on my cheek-nothing more. You should have let me stab myself-let me commit suicide-let whoever that was controlling me get what they wanted!"  
  
"Kai..." Tala said quietly, almost in a whisper.  
  
"And you-" he yelled, turning to Sarah. "You should have let him get his beauty sleep-goodness knows he needs it," he persisted as he cast a murderous glower at the offended Tala. "You should have come to wake me up and stop me yourself, you coward! But no, you had to go and wake your little boyfriend up because he was the only one that can protect you."  
  
Sarah's eyes widened. "Kai! I-"  
  
"You know what? Just...just leave me alone," he replied, quieter now. He sighed and slumped over on his bed, leaving Dranzer to spin aimlessly.  
  
Tala and Sarah cast each other meaningful glances before Sarah went and sat beside Kai. She put her arm around his shoulders. "Kai, I'm sorry about the way you feel, and-"  
  
"I want to be left alone..."  
  
She spoke over him. "And I wish that there was some way I could help you more. Remember how I said that I'd always be here for you, no matter what? Until death due us part?"  
  
"You didn't say that," he replied, not raising his lowered head.  
  
"Or something like that," she continued, staring into space for a moment or two. "But anyway, that means that I'm here at times like this- when you need someone the most. I may not be your parents, nor the affectionate Rhea you sometimes wished she were, but I'm your friend-the one that you've always dreamed of.  
  
"And about waking Tala up the night of your dream-I couldn't just stand there and let you die. Then, I'd technically be responsible for your death for just being there and not doing anything to stop it. I couldn't kill, someone, Kai. And you're right, I am a coward. That's why I got Tala to wake you for me. I'm scared of death, I'm afraid of what lies there for me, I'm frightened of killing other people, even if that must be done sometimes." Tears began to work their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks. "That's why I don't want to participate in the final battle-I know that people are going to die, and those people could very well be the ones I'm close to. I don't want to face that and that's why I'm a cowardly pacifist, Kai. A cowardly pacifist!"  
  
Kai lifted his head and glanced at Tala, who seemed as confused as he was. Sarah had now taken her hand away from his shoulders and had used it to cover up her face. Kai lay his hand on her chin and lifted it, then pried her hands away slowly. "It's okay, don't cry. I'm sorry-you're not a coward. I didn't mean anything when I said-"  
  
"You say that now! But I just realized that what I feared to face was the truth! I am a coward and you know it! I haven't killed anyone and I don't intend to! I just can't...even if I tried! I don't want any part in this final battle and that's my final decision! I don't want to see people getting killed or hurt!"  
  
"That's good, then, Sarah because you won't be taking part in it."  
  
The three turned to the doorway to see Judy, Irina, and Lutka. Judy, who had just opened the door and spoken moved inside so that the other two women could enter.  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Tala asked.  
  
Lutka closed her eyes and lowered her head. "I'm sorry, you three, but Boris has decided that you guys may not be the prophesied ones we were looking for, and we can't risk anything during the final battle. Therefore, you shall not be fighting Goadbwa as we had intended for you to."  
  
"You can't get rid of us, now!" Kai exclaimed, almost in a whine, which was extremely out of character. "What about all the trust you've put in us? All the money you've spent trying to perfect our skills and grant us new technology? Who will replace us?"  
  
"Those have all gone to waste and your older siblings will be the Biovolt leaders and main combatants." Irina informed coldly. "Biovolt suspects that they're stronger than you."  
  
"So then what position do we have in the battle?" Tala queried, regaining his composure and placing his hands akimbo.  
  
"None whatsoever," Irina continued. "You are not to take part in the final battle or by in any way interfere. Boris strictly prohibits it and there are severe consequences for those that don't comply."  
  
"So there you are. You're fine again. You don't have to worry about the fate of the world resting on your shoulders anymore and can go about your normal lives. That's all we had to say, so...I guess it's goodbye," Judy said, leaving for the door. Lutka followed closely behind her, casting the three one last sad glance before disappearing through the doorway.  
  
Irina brought up the rear and paused in the doorway with her hand on the knob. "I'm terribly sorry, but that's the way it has to be. Oh, and Sarah, dear-dry your eyes. There's no reason to cry over a petty thing like this." With that, she shut the door to their room behind her, leaving them to stare in amazed silence.  
  
Sarah stared a moment longer before glancing at Kai, who closed his eyes, folded his arms, and lowered his head with a succinct, "Hmph!" She then turned to Tala who had replaced his hands on his hips and turned his head away with a severely annoyed growl. She, herself on the other hand, lowered her head slowly, screwed her eyes shut and growled. Tears of hatred and rage started to well up in her eyes again as the nails of her fingers dug into the skin of her clenched fists and her teeth threatened to shatter under the pressure.  
  
Never, in their lives, had they felt so angry. 


	19. The Beginning of The End

Well, here I am talking again after a long silence. So, I just wanted to say that I'm not updating the next chapter unless I get a review! And I mean that! I'm not continuing unless you people REALLY want to know the outcome of the final battle. Don't know why you wouldn't...if you're that interested in my story, then it would make sense, wouldn't it? Besides, why should I keep wasting my J. K. Rowling-calibre skills if they are not being recognized?  
  
18. The Beginning of the End  
  
Telesto woke the next morning to the sound of silent, muffled sobs. Whoever was crying was drawing in quick, sharp, high-pitched breaths, as if they were female. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes before getting out from under the covers. He stepped out into the hallway, since no one shared the room with him.  
  
Glancing around groggily, he heard the whimpering coming from the left, so he turned that way. The first room to the left was Spica's. On the right was Kuiper's room, and then the staircase that led to the main level. He came to the doorway of Spica's room and paused, looking in.  
  
Spica was facedown in her bed, seemingly crying into the pillow. She was quivering slightly, and if she wasn't crying, she was doing a good job of faking it. Telesto rubbed his eyes again and stepped inside. "Spica?" he asked lethargically.  
  
She immediately turned over and scowled at him. She rubbed the tears from her eyes hastily and sat up. "What? What do you want?" she demanded.  
  
Telesto could see that her eyes were red and puffy and her pillow was set where her face had been. "Nothing, really. I was just wondering if you could keep it down-you woke me up with your crying."  
  
"I wasn't crying!" Spica retorted angrily.  
  
"Uh-huh, sure. Look..." He sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Get out of my room, you-"  
  
"Spica-hear me out," Telesto said firmly, laying his hand on her shoulder to calm her. "I can understand why you're crying. I saw that look in your eyes when I shot Hans, but it had to be done. They were Gilepse's and Commander Brandez's orders. You were heartbroken and you were feigning your apathy. It's okay to show your emotion, just not in front of Gilepse. Kuiper and I will accept if, though."  
  
Spica turned away violently, pulling from his grasp. "Shut up. What would you know about my feelings? You don't even know your own."  
  
"You're faking your apathy again. It's so obvious you liked him, and I respect that. But he didn't have the will to live, and you have to accept that. He probably felt that way for a good reason, so it would be unfair to make him endure whatever was troubling him any longer."  
  
Spica turned back around, her eyes watery. She paused a moment before replying. "But what if what was troubling him could have been fixed? Then what?"  
  
"It's too late to judge that, now. Say, I have something for you. Wait here," Telesto said as he stood up and left the room. He came back a few seconds later and sat on the edge of her bed again. He opened his clenched fist before her, handing her a brown spin gear. "Goadbwa made clones of Hans' soul and implanted one of them into this spin gear. Gilepse gave one to Deneb in the form of a Beyblade bit piece. It's unbelievable what they can do with human souls-this one is supposed to improve spin time length and velocity. As a bonus, you've got the memory of Hans with you. Gilepse would have given you one last night but you left the testing facilities in a hurry. Take it."  
  
Spica reached out hesitantly and took the spin gear from his hand. She analyzed it in the palm of hers for a moment before taking her black Beyblade from the night table. She unassembled it and replaced the existing spin gear with the one that had Hans' soul. She smiled at it in her hands a moment and then drew it to her chest, looking up at Telesto. "Thank you, Telesto. I'm sorry-you do understand me."  
  
Telesto stood up and headed for the door. "No problem," he replied with a smile. Come on, we'd better get changed and downstairs. The final battle's today and Biovolt expects to be prompt. They're going down!"  
  
Spica gave a curt nod and her sad smile widened as he left. She looked back down at her Beyblade and held it to her forehead, closing her eyes to stop the tears from flowing again. "Hans...your sacrifice will not go to waste," she whispered in anger. "I'll slaughter those idiotic Hilanovs if it's the last thing I do...This is the day when it's finally over-when evil will take its grip-the end of those Hilanovs-never again- forever apocalypse."  
  
*  
  
One by one, helicopter after helicopter landed in the Abbey courtyard. Each had either that Biovolt or BBA logo on the side and space was minimal as the twelfth one finally descended. Boris, Irina and Mr. Dickenson stood outside watching the display from the main entrance while Leon was directing the air traffic.  
  
"They're all here, Boris. We had been waiting for six Biovolt copters and six BBA ones, which are all accounted for. What should I do with the guests?" Irina questioned, looking up from her clipboard.  
  
Boris didn't turn to her, keeping his eyes on the commanders and superintendents now emerging from the copters along with trainees. "Take them inside. You should go inside, too, Stanley. It's getting cooler and I hope you wouldn't mind explaining the plan to them?"  
  
"That's no problem. I'll see to it that they understand," Mr. Dickenson said as he opened the door swiftly and swept himself inside.  
  
Boris observed as his younger sister head out for the nearest copter and spoke to the commander-Cedric Graham of Canada. She motioned to the entrance of the Abbey where Boris was standing and turned back to the brown- haired man. The man nodded and began to lead his trainees off the helicopter's ramp towards the Abbey's entrance. Irina did the same to the other eleven helicopters.  
  
"Has everyone finished getting changed?" Lutka inquired Nigel as they headed down the main hall to the main hall.  
  
"You're asking me? How should I know? There's Kenny-he should. He's been assigned to keeping a close eye on the deploys."  
  
"I was asking you because I thought you would know," Lutka replied with mock annoyance in her voice as she approached Kenny.  
  
Nigel gave a shrug and continued towards the main doors where guests were now pouring in as Lutka stepped up to Kenny, who was typing something furiously on his laptop and glancing at the doorway.  
  
"Kenny, do you know if the deploys are ready yet?"  
  
Kenny paused and looked up, and then continued with his hectic flurry of fingers. "Not quite. We're still waiting on a few-Emily, Kieran, Ray and Gary."  
  
"Hang on-did you say Emily?"  
  
Kenny paused again and lowered his laptop. "Yes, that's right. She said she wants to join in on the battle. She doesn't want to stay cooped up in these Abbey walls just giving orders, and that she has to help her team."  
  
Lutka folded her arms and glanced at Boris, who was greeting people in the doorway. She turned back to Kenny. "Where did she get the uniform?"  
  
"While helping you and the others make them, she made one for herself of main turquoise and secondary orange. It's of the same style as the others."  
  
Lutka gave him a quizzical look. "'Others'?"  
  
"Yes-not the Hilanovs or Blade Sovereign but those of the soul supports-like Eva, Tyson, and Bryan," he replied.  
  
Lutka bit her lip and glanced at Boris again. "Okay, then. Thank you, Kenny. You're staying here for the final battle, right?"  
  
"Why? Are you saying that I can go?" he asked eagerly.  
  
She lowered her head to him. "No, I was just wondering. Do you want to go?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Sorry-Boris' orders strictly forbid that," she said as she walked away from him.  
  
Kenny stared at her in bewilderment for a moment before turning back to Dizzi. He typed some more, but was interrupted once again as Samson rounded the corner with the other deploys. He looked up. "Samson!"  
  
The brown-haired boy turned to face him. "Yeah? What is it, Kenny?"  
  
"Where is your sister?"  
  
Samson cast a quick glance at the ceiling, trying to think as he fiddled with his glove. "Dunno... I think I last saw her with Kai and Tala in their room." He turned to the hallway. "Oh-here they come now. Whoa- who are those guys?"  
  
Kenny looked down the hall where Samson had-the direction opposite of where the deploys were pouring out of. His eyes widened and he leapt behind Samson fearfully, jerking Dizzi rather uncomfortably.  
  
"Ah! Hey, Kenny! What was that for?" she cried.  
  
He ignored her. "Don't let them see me, Samson, I beg of you!"  
  
Samson looked down at the boy cowering with a dumbfounded expression. "Euh...sure, I guess..." Samson lifted his head to see the Hilanovs and the four unidentified figures approaching him.  
  
"Are you sure you guys really want to fight in the final battle? It's a precarious location, Dark Bladers," Sarah was asking with cheer in her voice.  
  
"Yes, of course we are. We may be humanly challenged, but that doesn't mean we don't have human souls. In fact, I feel that Goadbwa will be out for us even more eagerly," the black and red haired one replied. He reminded Samson very much of a vampire.  
  
Sarah turned away from the vampire-like being and to her confused brother. "Oh, Samson. You don't know these guys, do you?"  
  
Samson could now see why Kenny had jumped behind him and he felt like doing the same thing. Being in such close proximity with these abnormal beings was anything but comforting. "Uh...no...I don't."  
  
"Ooh! Who are they? Say, are you like, a mummy or something? 'Cause if you aren't, let me be the first to tell you that Halloween has come and gone," Anya said as she pointed oddly at the mummy-like one.  
  
He turned and scowled at her. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am a mummy, little girl and my name is Cenotaph."  
  
Anya pulled back, a look of disgust on her face. "No kidding? Then I suppose that you're a vampire and your name is Sanguinex, you're a werewolf and your name is Lupinex, and you're a zombie and your name is Zom? Hah! What am I thinking? Me and my wild imagination."  
  
Sarah turned to Tala in amazement and then began to scratch her head as she turned back to Anya. "Uh, actually, Anya-you're right about that."  
  
Anya stared blankly ahead at the Dark Bladers a moment longer before taking her eyes away and fiddling with the radio transmitters in her hair. She sauntered away muttering something about, "Creeps...they implanted that into my mind..."  
  
"Boris, these are the Savage Slammers, Tall-Boys, Blade Hunters, Renegades, Charming Princes and Spintensity. They're all teams formed by the BBA and are willing to assist in the final battle on behalf of the Association. That is, if you want them on the field. You're splitting the group in half, aren't you?" Mr. Dickenson asked as he motioned to the teams standing before him.  
  
Boris scrutinized each of the children carefully. "Yes, that's right, but I'll be sending the older deploys to the alternate location. I feel that they're more adept to the job I want them to complete there. On the battlefield, it's less risky as we'll know what to expect."  
  
"You're not forgetting the other two teams, are you, Boris?"  
  
The two men looked up to see Kai standing beside a group of tough, yet unidentified males.  
  
"Ah, yes," Mr. Dickenson exclaimed, giving Boris a confident look. "I forgot about them-the Blade Sharks and Dark Bladers. I can assure you that they'll be valuable assets. They're in Rank A, am I correct?"  
  
Boris nodded slightly. "I want you to organize the BBA deploy recruits, or at least get the presidents to do so." He then turned to the Biovolt Commanders who had been standing a few feet away from him. "I would like you each to sort your trainees into either Rank A or B, depending on the specifications I explained to you." When the Commanders each nodded and turned to their trainees, Boris turned to Irina. "Make sure that the Rank B deploys are ready and bring them here." Irina nodded and left the crowded room.  
  
"Rank B is now boarding helicopters, sir," Leon informed.  
  
"They know of their mission?" Boris asked as he watched them board from the steps of the main entrance.  
  
"Yes, sir," replied Leon. "Rank A is inside and is awaiting their orders."  
  
"Very well, then," said Boris as he turned and opened the door behind him. He stepped inside and made a slight gasp at the hundreds of trainees standing solemnly in neat rows. He regained his composure and stood as erect as them. "Now, we all know that today is the final battle, judgement day, or, the beginning of the end. Today holds the grandest battle that most of you will probably consider as such in your entire lifetime. Therefore, you should fight as you think appropriate.  
  
"If Genesis of Apocalyptic Defeat Beyblading Weapon Artillery Enterprises wins, they shall steal the souls of many innocents and utilize them to create stronger Bit Beasts for Beyblades. If the Beybladers Intent on Victory Over Lawless Tyranny Corporation wins, Goadbwa will be thrown out of business and the world will be safe," he announced, starting to pace back and forth. "We shall be departing for the battlefield shortly, which you have all been given maps to. It is within walking distance, though we will be taking helicopters there so that you don't waste your energy.  
  
"When you become in a position that you are unable to battle any longer, you come back to the Abbey immediately to seek medical attention. If you see a dead Biovolt body or soul-less one, bring it back to Biovolt with you. Once you are healed, do not go back to the battlefield. You are to stay here for technical support, medics, and guards.  
  
"I believe that's it, so now we shall be departing. Today, my children, is the day that Biovolt and the BBA will succeed in overcoming Goadbwa! Make our companies proud and make yourselves heroes!" he exclaimed, raising his arms in the air. There arose a cheer from the crowd before him. He motioned for everyone to follow Leon out the door and to the nearest helicopter as he stood in the doorway and watched them pour out.  
  
Samson cast a sympathetic glance at his sullen sister. He placed a hand under her chin and raised it to meet his eyes. "Are you okay? I wish that Boris would let you come, but..."  
  
"That's okay, Samson," she replied with a smile.  
  
Samson returned the sad smile. "You know what to do, right?"  
  
Sarah nodded. "Don't worry about me. I'll see you there."  
  
Samson took his hand away and cast a meaningful glance at Irina and Nigel standing a few feet away. They both nodded their approval and Samson headed for the door.  
  
"Oh, poor yittle Taya has to stay 'ere. You're too young to participate in dis battle, yittle brother!" Anya taunted as she tugged Tala's cheek. He cast her a murderous scowl and rubbed his cheek ruefully as she took her hand away and placed it akimbo. "Don't you worry, Tal." She gave him a thumbs up. "I won't let Biovolt down and I'll fight for the both of us! I won't let myself get killed by those stupid Goadbwa deploys!" She smiled brightly at Lutka before turning and heading after Samson.  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of..." Tala muttered once she was out of earshot.  
  
"When I die or lose my soul, don't take it as an invitation to wherever I am, Kai. You deserve to live even if the rest of the Hiwataris don't. You're one of the prophesied ones and therefore your life is essential to the whole world," Rhea said solemnly as she stepped away from the blue-haired boy.  
  
Kai watched her depart, eyes wide with astonishment. "Good-bye, Rhea..." he managed to mumble.  
  
Samson had come to the door when he was stopped by Boris. He stepped to the side and looked up at the man. Boris extended his palm to reveal the brown Beyblade with blue Bit Beast. "Here, nephew. Take this Beyblade and use it instead of your Moark."  
  
Samson analyzed the blade quickly and then looked back up at Boris. "Why? I work just fine with Moark, Uncle Boris."  
  
"That may be, but this Beyblade's Bit Beast is more powerful, and I want you to use it."  
  
Samson reached out and relieved it from Boris' hand. "Okay, then, if you say so. But I'm keeping Moark with me, just in case."  
  
Boris moved away and descended the steps towards the copter. "Very well, then. Suit yourself. Come on, Samson, we'd better board."  
  
The Hilanovs moved to the doors along with the others as the last trainee left the hall. They watched as the helicopters rose into the air and headed north. Kai heard Tala sigh and turned to him. "What is it?"  
  
"What now? After all this-we tried so hard and got so far but in the end it doesn't even matter? We don't get to participate in the final battle," he replied quietly.  
  
"It does seem pretty pointless, but then again, I never trusted Boris," Kai answered in the same tone.  
  
The others began to leave but the three Hilanovs remained positioned on the top step. "Get inside, you three or you'll catch your death of cold," Judy called as she left the room.  
  
Kai glanced back at her and put a hand on Sarah's shoulder, who was slightly ahead of them and hiding her face. "Judy's right. Let's go inside." When Sarah didn't move, Kai jerked her shoulder. "Sarah? What's wrong?"  
  
All of a sudden, she whipped around, making the two jump. "Are the others gone?" she grilled authoritatively.  
  
Tala turned and saw that they had all left. He turned back. "Yes, I assume that they're in the control room by now."  
  
Sarah rushed past them, the same determined and serious look on her face. The two caught up to her and were almost jogging to keep up with her rapid pace. "Where are you going and what's the hurry?" Kai asked.  
  
She didn't answer but kept walking.  
  
"Aren't you going to answer us?" Tala demanded. "I realize that you're angry, but that's no need to give us the silent treatment. We weren't the ones that said you couldn't battle."  
  
"I know that," she replied curtly as she hastened up the staircase to the second level and turned in the direction of their room.  
  
"Why are we going to our room?" queried Kai.  
  
She remained silent and reached under the covers of her bed. She tossed Kai black fabric and Tala white. The two looked at the suits in their arms for a moment. "These are the jumpsuits from our uniforms," Tala clarified.  
  
Sarah pulled out a silver jumpsuit and took her gloves off. "No kidding."  
  
"But what do you want us to do with them?" Kai interrogated. "We can't go to the battle, and that's what these uniforms were made for."  
  
Sarah undid her belt and took her black and white vest off. "Put them on and we'll play dress up."  
  
Kai and Tala gave each other disgusted looks. "Excuse me?" they asked in unison.  
  
She turned and faced them with an annoyed expression. "What do you think? We're fighting, no questions asked. Is it that hard to comprehend?"  
  
Kai nodded and took off his gloves. Tala was still quite dumbfounded. "But I thought that Kenny was watching us. He'll tell the elders and then we'll be locked in the dungeon or something to prevent an escape attempt. Besides, Boris probably doesn't want us there for a good reason. We should appreciate that he considers our lives and should listen to him."  
  
Kai untied his scarf. "Poor Tala. He's grown up to trust Boris too much. He has to learn to think for himself sometimes, like now."  
  
"I concur." Sarah answered Kai as if Tala wasn't even in the room. "Boris is my uncle, and so I know him well. He doesn't want us there because he doesn't think we can do it and he wants our older siblings to risk their lives-he cares for them less. Besides, Kenny's on our side. There is a small group of them that believe we should participate and they're going to help us get out of here."  
  
Tala turned away from the two but continued to stare apprehensively at his jumpsuit. "Who are they?"  
  
"Kenny, Lutka, Irina, Nigel, Emily, Mr. Dickenson, Leon and Samson," Sarah responded. "Come on, Tala. The two of us aren't going to be able to save the world without the Romanov. We'd just be the Hilans, then."  
  
Tala smiled, but didn't turn around, respecting their privacy. He undid his orange belts.  
  
"Are you guys ready?" Irina asked intently as Kai, Tala and Sarah ran down the corridor towards her and the rest of the group.  
  
"Yes, mother. Thank you for your help. We won't let you down," Sarah said as she adjusted her glove.  
  
"Hurry, now. Nigel says that both Goadbwa and Biovolt has arrived at the field and that they're ready to commence their attacks," explained Lutka, rushing them to the door.  
  
Kai hurried down the steps and motioned for Tala and Sarah to follow. "Come on, we don't have much time!"  
  
Tala and Sarah took a step forward when Kenny grabbed Sarah's shoulder. "Wait! You need a map! Here," he handed a folded piece of paper to her. "Good luck, you guys. I just know that Biovolt and the BBA will win with you on their side!"  
  
"Thanks, Chief. We'll try to live up to that standard," Sarah answered thankfully as she hurried after Kai and Tala.  
  
"Try? You will do that, my daughter!" Irina called after them.  
  
"Do you father and I proud, Tala!" yelled Lutka.  
  
The three waved and slipped out the wooden front gate. Lutka deflated and sighed once they were out of sight. Irina and Kenny turned to her. "Anya and Tala are all I have left. I can only hope that they succeed and that no one will feel the pain I do," she informed.  
  
Irina put her arm around Lutka's shoulder. "Don't worry. If I know them, they won't give up easily. Gilepse and Vitality Extortion will wish they had never been born once the Hilanovs are done with them."  
  
"Mrs. Langley's right," added Kenny. "If your son fights half as well as he did when he battled Tyson, they'll have no need for all those other trainees!"  
  
Lutka smiled sadly and glanced longingly at the sky. 'Sergei, if you're watching us, protect our son. Xenia and Kaji, if you are still watching over your children, they'll be drawing their strength from you, too.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hm...a rather short chapter but a cliffhanger. Do you want to know what happens in the final battle? Will Kai, Tala, and Sarah succeed in defeating Goadbwa or will it be the apocalypse as Spica suggests? How did Voltaire get a copy of the Hans Beyblade and will the human soul inside of it really help Samson to defeat Goadbwa by using their own weapon against them? Will Rhea die as she says she will and will you review? Find out soon (if you review, that is). 


	20. Commence Attack

Does no one like bloody, violent things anymore? Of course not-it's all yaoi and romantic these days, eh? With so much profanity you might as well replace those words with and, but, the, and a, right!?  
  
Oh yeah, and this chapter has been brought to you by Animelover! We all owe you a big, huge, gigantic thank you, but none more than me! To Temagami- you had better thank her, considering you're too lazy to review yourself, so don't go complaining to me about the fact that you can't read my story!  
  
20. Commence Attack  
  
"Boris, my old colleague..."  
  
"Likewise, Gilepse," Boris replied with a sneer.  
  
The two men began to circle each other as if looking for an opening. They scowled at each other as they did so, stepping in front of each other's army precariously. The trainees and deploys from each company watched with determined eyes.  
  
"Biovolt deploys, hear me," Boris said after a long silence. "Today is the day that Biovolt shall be victorious in the defeat of Goadbwa. Just take a look around, Gilepse-my side outnumbers you five to one."  
  
"Yes, there is strength in numbers, but there is often skill in lesser numbers. My side will take out all five they're worth!" Gilepse countered.  
  
"Why not put your fist where your mouth is?" Boris quipped, lunging forward with lightning speed and tackling Gilepse to the ground.  
  
Kieran, seeing this, all of a sudden moved over to the side that Goadbwa stood on, calmly and quietly.  
  
"What are you doing!?" exclaimed Mariah from the front lines.  
  
Kieran fought Toutalis inside of him but lost. "It's obvious Biovolt's going down. I'd prefer to be on the winning side, thank you very much."  
  
"Traitor! Boris! You tell him!" Tyson yelled, turning to Boris. Boris wasn't paying attention, too busy holding a dagger to Gilepse's throat.  
  
"It just goes to show how pathetic Biovolt is. Even Biovolt's own deploy can see that!" Telesto mocked. He glanced smugly to Kieran. "Right, Temagami?"  
  
Kieran nodded, the nonchalant smile not faltering from his face.  
  
There arose a yell from Samson, who stood on the front lines of the Biovolt crowd. He threw his hand into the air and charged forward at Spica, who was in the front of the Goadbwa throng. He fired his new Beyblade, hitting Spica on her cheekbone. The spin of the blade grazed her skin and lacerated it, creating a fresh wound through which blood oozed.  
  
Spica drew back out of surprise and backed into Kuiper's arms. She lay there a moment, staring at Samson in horror and anger. Then she pulled away violently from Kuiper and fired her blade at Samson. He dodged the blade and ran of in one direction, his Beyblade following him.  
  
"Let the war begin!" Spica and Samson both yelled in unison at which both sides charged at each other, firing their Beyblades at the opponents they challenged.  
  
Almost immediately, the field was filled with separate battles, yells and spirits flying everywhere.  
  
*  
  
"Right. They've left and defences detected are minimal. Should we move in, Director?"  
  
"Affirmative, Victor. Move your troops in," Judy ordered into her microphone.  
  
"Yes, ma'am. Let's go, ladies," Victor told the Biovolt and BBA troops as he moved closer to the large wooden Goadbwa entrance.  
  
*  
  
"Revenost, slam his blade!"  
  
The black Beyblade made an unexpected swerve back around towards Samson's blade. Samson was in no condition to command it, though as he was preoccupied with a severe pain in his stomach. The impact of Revenost against his Beyblade threw him to the ground with a yell of pain. He crunched into a defensive ball around his stomach.  
  
"Oooh, hurt are we?" Spica taunted and she continued with relentless attacks. Hit after hit, yell after yell, Samson couldn't take it anymore. Slipping in and out of consciousness, he finally gave in to the pain and passed out entirely.  
  
Spica smirked evilly. "Well, you had it coming, attacking me like that." She wiped the new blood away from the wound on her cheek as she called back her blade and stepped forward towards the comatose Samson on the ground.  
  
She watched as his new brown blade spun to a stop beside him. She stared at it in wonder before picking it up. She gasped on seeing the form of the Bit Beast. "H-Hans...But how did Samson get this Beyblade? It's from Goadbwa!" Tears began to well from her eyes but she squeezed them shut and held the Beyblade to her chest. Her tears ran down her cheek and mixed with the blood of the wound, creating a pinkish liquid that trailed onto her uniform.  
  
"Molphin, let's get physical!" Anya exclaimed as she commanded Molphin to attack. The red Beyblade shot forward around Telesto's grey one and launched into the air. Telesto flinched and put his hands up to cover his face but Anya's Beyblade passed through the gap in his arms and headed straight for his left eye. Fortunately, his eyepiece blocked the way. The strength of the blade hit the eyepiece, shattered it, and then ricocheted back to Anya.  
  
Telesto took his arms away as shards of his red eyepiece fell to the ground. "Well there goes Goadbwa's visual..."  
  
"Shoot! We missed, Molphin! Let's try again! Go get 'im!" Anya ordered, pointing her finger straight ahead at Telesto.  
  
Again, Molphin shot forward, once again aiming for his head. This time, though, Poltost rose from its blade and stood in the way of Telesto. Molphin barrelled right into the Bit Beast. It flew back to Anya, who dodged it as it flew for her head.  
  
She looked back up to the Bit Beast towering over her and Telesto. She stared at it in horror, seeing the figure that it resembled. "I- It's...But...how?"  
  
Telesto took his hands away once again and snickered at the petrified look on Anya's face. "What is it, Anya? Finally recognized my Bit Beast for who he really is?"  
  
"T-Tala never told me...th-that Poltost was..."  
  
"Of course not. He never knew. He thought it was just another Bit Beast shaped like the soul of any old human, little did he know exactly which human it was. And since Poltost doesn't remember you anymore, it'll just resume its attack, now. Poltost!"  
  
"Your apathetic and calm manner don't scare me, Rhea. Why not give it up?" Kuiper called as he ran with Rhea to catch up with their blades.  
  
"If you're telling me to stop, you obviously are afraid," she countered.  
  
Kuiper froze in mid-step and stared at her with a stunned look. Rhea stopped too and Kuiper gulped. He pointed at her, indicating the direction for Doppelgost to go. "You're creeping me out, girl! Why don't we return the feeling? Doppelgost, Double-Go!"  
  
Doppelgost spun around from the metres it was away and split into two blades. The two Beyblades began to then attack Rhea's Moel from opposing sides. Rhea watched solemnly, not showing her fear or surprise-if that was indeed what she felt.  
  
Moel finally began to wobble at which the two Doppelgosts pulled away. "Moel, Charge," was Rhea's command.  
  
Blue sparks began to fly around Rhea's blue blade. Almost instantly, Moel regained its spin. It then took of after the real Doppelgost. It slammed into it and the copy Doppelgost disappeared.  
  
Kuiper growled as his blade started to slow. "Oh yeah? Well, then, Doppelgost, let's see if this will show her how we feel. Doppelgost, show yourself!"  
  
At Kuiper's command, the blue spirit rose from its bit piece. Rhea stared up at it with the same emotionless glance, trying to see the features of the figure. She surveyed the body, working her way up from the feet and finally showing emotion when she got to the face. She made a slight gasp and her eyes widened. "It's...it's my...my..."  
  
Spica cast shifty glances around the battlefield before her. She noticed some souls flying through the air and blood spattering from a few locations. "There's only one way that Samson could have got this Beyblade-I smell treason among someone I know. Someone's been leaking things to Biovolt, and I'll bet it's vice versa, too."  
  
She let her hand drop to her side, still holding the Beyblade containing Hans' soul. With her left hand, she reached into her belt and pulled something out. She brought her hand to the level of her head and glared down at Samson angrily. She bit her lip. "This is your punishment, Samson, for using Hans this way. Hans, I hope that you will finally be at rest knowing that the opportunistic user of your soul's power is dead." She knelt down and raised the object in her hand higher. "Don't worry, Samson, I'll kill your sister, too, so that you won't be alone. Once you're gone, the Hilanovs will fall apart, seeing as the Langleys are the strongest link!"  
  
She brought the dagger in her hand down, aiming for the chest of Samson's cataleptic body. Moments before impact, she was hit and tackled to the ground so that she lay stunned on her back staring furiously up at the one pinning her to the ground.  
  
"That's right, Spica! Us Langleys are the strongest, and I intend to use some of my magnificent power on the annihilation of you!"  
  
Spica looked into the green eyes of her attacker and recognized them instantly. She struggled to free herself or at least throw them off. "Sarah! I thought you weren't to participate in the final battle! What's this? The goody-too-shoes disobeying her dear uncle?"  
  
Sarah fought to keep Spica held down. "Yes, that's right! I'm not listening to him anymore if he won't let me take you down! Kill my brother you won't, Spica. He's always been there for me, and now it's my turn to be there for him! Of course, you wouldn't know feelings like that, you cold- hearted transgressor!"  
  
"Ooh, you know, that touches me so, Sarah. But I'd just like you to know that I do have feelings like that. Such as the feelings I have for the dead human soul in your brother's new blade!" Spica countered, finally managing to throw Sarah off.  
  
The two clamoured to their feet and charged at each other with their daggers. They met in the middle with a clash of steel. "'Dead human soul'?" Sarah repeated questioningly as she struggled with Spica.  
  
"That's right. You don't know Hans, but he's a German Goadbwa trainee. Revenost took his soul and Telesto shot him under the orders of Gilepse and Hans' own master, Commander Kurt Brandez!"  
  
Sarah made a slight gasp and pulled away from the bladelock. "That's terrible! And you were the one that helped in the slaughter!"  
  
"I had no choice. If I disobey that fool of a man Gilepse he'll have me hanged," Spica replied, bringing her dagger back down only for Sarah to block it. "And if your little boyfriend, Kai was to see the human souls that lurk within my blade and Kuiper's, he'd feel the same surprise along with his emotionless sister!"  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Sarah demanded, withdrawing and then striking again.  
  
"I mean that Revenost, my Bit Beast, is the soul of the Hiwataris' mother, Xenia Hiwatari!"  
  
***  
  
"Intruders in the castle!"  
  
"You know what to do! Exterminate those pesky insects," Ophelia commanded to the technicians and scientists in the control room.  
  
"Things aren't looking good for Telesto, ma'am. We've lost visual and audio is faltering," reported one of the female technicians, Lori.  
  
Ophelia rushed over and peered over Lori's shoulder at the monitor. It was full of static, and only ever so often did it flash a quick glimpse of Telesto's view of the battlefield. Ophelia snatched up the microphone from the counter beside Lori. "Telesto! Can you hear me?"  
  
"Yes...wh-...I'm...can't...-ou..." Ophelia could hear through rounds of thick static. She growled and slammed the stand back down on the counter.  
  
She turned away, folded her arms and sighed. Lori swivelled around in her chair to face her. "Well...? What do we do, Ophelia?"  
  
Ophelia raised her head to yell through the busy room, "Do we still have contacts with Spica, Kuiper, and Gilepse?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am," came the majority of replies.  
  
"No-audio and visual are failing, Ophelia, ma'am. It must be all the struggling he's doing. Either that, or Boris has found out of our system and has attempted to sabotage it. I'd say he's doing a rather good job," one of the male technicians reported, looking up to the middle where Ophelia stood.  
  
Ophelia massaged her temples ruefully as she groaned. She drew a slow breath in through her teeth in annoyance. "That's it. Our concern at the moment isn't the battlefield. We'll have to trust that the deploys will know what to do on their own. What we should worry about is the intruders- Ryan-how many are there?"  
  
The man that had reported the intruders' presence looked to his computer monitor and then back to Ophelia. "Approximately a score, I'd say."  
  
"Okay, then. Lori, Ryan, Kerry, Marc and Josh-you are to stay here in the control room. I want you five to stay in contact with the battlefield and back up the others," ordered Ophelia.  
  
"What do you mean back us up?" one of the ones whose name hadn't been mentioned.  
  
Ophelia whirled to face him and grabbed a headset from the counter nearby. "You are going to incapacitate the intruders, John."  
  
"With what?" John questioned.  
  
Ophelia reached under the counter and brought out a black object about the size of her hand. She threw it to John, who caught it and analyzed it oddly. "Guns," Ophelia answered simply. "You've had target practice and should be able to get rid of them quite easily."  
  
"Maybe not," Ryan voiced, glancing at the monitor again. "They're Biovolt deploys, and if I know Boris, he wouldn't send them out unless they were top of the line. You know him-he won't accept failure. The odds of us triumphing over them are a million to one!"  
  
Ophelia and the rest stared at him for a moment, some determined, some frightened. There was silence and tension among them all until Ophelia broke it. "Then there's still a chance," she said softly, lowering her head. They all turned to her.  
  
"We may not win, but at least we'll go down knowing that we tried our best. Gilepse will be proud, and unlike that evil man Boris, he'll accept our defeat if it was for a good cause. He'll know that we tried our best to hold them back, and an honourable death is the best way to go, especially if we succeed in the defence of Goadbwa." She raised her head and thrust her clenched fist in the air. "We'll either defeat Biovolt or die trying!"  
  
She immediately turned to Lori. "You're in charge."  
  
"Me?" Lori questioned, stunned as she pointed to herself. "Why me? What about you? You know how to command way better than I could ever dream of doing and where are you going?"  
  
"To the battlefield. The president needs my help," Ophelia replied, motioning for the others to follow her to the door. "Don't worry-I'm wearing a headset so that you will be able to keep in contact with me. I would leave Deneb in charge, but he is no where within the Castle's vicinity. We have no idea where he is. I'm sure you'll do a better job than him, anyway, Lori."  
  
The ones that were told to do so reached for their guns under the counters and loaded them. They followed Ophelia out the door to leave Marc, Lori, Ryan, Josh and Kerry to stare dumbfoundedly at their exit.  
  
*  
  
Judy stood positioned in the control room watching the monitors before her flash images of what the Blade Sovereign and Boris were seeing. She was eyeing Rhea's screen display when something that flashed in front of it made her do a double take.  
  
"What was that?!" Judy exclaimed, taking her hands from her hips and beginning to type something on the keyboard over the shoulders of Kenny.  
  
Kenny glanced up at Rhea's monitor, which she had not been surveying, though he was in charge of. He saw something make a quick appearance on the right side of the screen. He gasped and looked anxiously up at Judy. On seeing the same surprised expression on her face, Kenny covered his face and buried his head in the counter. "Oh Kai..." he muttered.  
  
"I'm sure that I saw Kai in Rhea's monitor," Judy said, leaning backwards and running her hand along her jawline thoughtfully. "But that's impossible because he's in the Abbey..."  
  
"My thoughts exactly, ma'am. I can assure you that he's no where near the battlefield," Kenny reassured her.  
  
"Judy, I'm picking up unusual signals from Tala. His brainwaves seem to be processing too much information for him to simply be in his room," Nikita reported, appearing in the doorway.  
  
"What?" exclaimed Judy, apparently confused. She rushed to the door and followed Nikita down the hall a little ways until they came to the room that contained all of Tala's cyborg contacts and equipment. "First I think I see Kai, and now we have reason to be suspicious of Tala, too?" Judy muttered as she entered the room and examined the brainwave screen.  
  
Sure enough, there was too much activity going on in there, and censors also indicated an increase in heart rate. Then came the dead give away.  
  
"Anya! Anya, what is it? I-" There was a gasp and silence. Tala had seemingly stopped talking, too surprised to do so.  
  
"Give me a visual," Judy ordered Nikita, who immediately obeyed.  
  
On one of the overhead monitors appeared Anya and a Bit Beast rising before the two Romanov siblings.  
  
"Just as I suspected!" yelled Judy. "What's he doing out there? What is Kai doing out there? Is Sarah there, too?!"  
  
Kenny cringed as he heard these comments echo down the hallway and into the main control room. He sunk down into the counter. "Oh great...now what? I don't want to be around when they get back... If they get back..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So the Hilanovs have been discovered and the final battle's begun. Which side will bring about the change to the world and what shall happen to the other? 


	21. Brother Down

21. Brother Down  
  
"And here we are at the scene of what seems to be an impressive Beybattle in the middle of an abandoned field. Why the authorities aren't here is the question that the media is asking and puzzling over. Such and event would be classified as a riot and criminal act as it appears the Beybattles have gone beyond mere Beyblading. Even from the aerial view we have, there seems to be a lot of red appearing down there, and I am of course referring to blood-which can only mean that most certain death and pain are being caused down there. Stay tuned for updates on this occurrence. This has been Andrea Chase for R-"  
  
"When the media's involved, it's big," Judy growled, turning off the TV and clutching the remote to her chest.  
  
"And bad," added Lutka. "This engagement between Goadbwa and Biovolt was supposed to be confidential. If the media gets information about either side and the other is listening, it could be disastrous. What the public learns can also be potentially dangerous. If Goadbwa wins this, we're guaranteed the apocalypse sometime soon."  
  
Irina glanced from one monitor to another and landed on Judy's worried expression. "So what do we do about the media? Should we defer the Infiltration of Galsky Castle and take care of the media instead?"  
  
"That's won't be necessary. We don't want to end up with a bunch of dead reporters on our hands. Boris sits bad enough as it is with Voltaire, and we don't need the added contempt of the government," concluded Judy. "What I'm more worried about at the moment is the fact that Kai, Tala, and Sarah are at the battlefield. If Boris told them not to go, then it was probably for a good reason."  
  
Kenny sighed. "I don't see what you're so worried about, Mrs. Tate. Don't you remember Boris himself saying that those three were the actual descendants of the Hilanovs? If anything, they are the ones that will win it for us because they're stronger."  
  
"Which is exactly what Goadbwa wants," countered Lutka. "The Hilanovs have more power, and they can use it against us if Goadbwa gets a hold of them. You saw how easy it was for Goadbwa to take control of Sarah. They could do the same to Kai and Tala is an even easier target. All they need is to hack into his operative systems and he becomes a destructive puppet. For Kai and Sarah, they need their Bit Beasts. Maybe it was a mistake to fuse their souls with those of their Bit Beasts..."  
  
***  
  
"Go, Dranzer!"  
  
Dranzer rose from its blade and shot straight towards the young male Goadbwa trainee that had been sneaking up on Rhea. Dranzer penetrated the boy and left through the opposite side it had entered, carrying with it tinges of blue among the red bird-like form. It soared up into the dark grey clouded sky, creating a small flash upon contact. Seconds later there was another flash and it plummeted back downward and back into Kai's spinning Beyblade.  
  
Kai looked to the boy just in time to see his eyes roll back into his head and close before he fell to the ground, unconscious and without a spirit. Maybe it had been heartless, but the alternatives could have been worse.  
  
Kuiper looked to the comatose boy and then back to Kai. "Think you're so hot, don't you? Dubbed the "World Champion" and you get all egotistical. Well, let me give you a taste of reality-maybe the Soul Realm is the best place to learn!"  
  
In one flashing move, Doppelgost sprang from its position looming over Rhea to aiming for Kai. It was so fast that it gave no time to react. Rhea couldn't command anything of Moel as she had just come out of being transfixed, and Kuiper wasn't about to help him. The blue spirit came at him, Kai drawing back in fear and horror of what was about to happen. After what seemed like an eternity of fear and drawing back, he made one final jerk and felt Doppelgost penetrate his arm instead of his chest-where it had been aiming. It was still a place that could be stolen from.  
  
***  
  
"There-keep your eyes on them. On my signal, shoot," instructed the head of Rank B in a whisper to the Biovolt deploys hiding behind the corner he was in.  
  
One of the Goadbwa scientists rounded the corner towards them, holding a gun, but not poised to shoot. She glanced around the halls as she sauntered down them, appearing quite nervous and visibly shaking even as she tried to hold her composure. She was about four metres and had stopped to clutch the gun anxiously to her chest and look around with paranoia.  
  
"Fire!" the head ordered in an audible yell.  
  
The girl whipped her head towards where they had been hiding around the corner just as the deploys jumped out. The three that had leapt out fired five simultaneous shots before moving forward over the bloodied corpse.  
  
***  
  
There was a burst of pain like a thousand needles erupted from where he had been hit and he felt mildly nauseous. He closed his eyes to block out the pain and saw the image of his father smiling back at him. When he opened them, it was gone. He felt the Beast leave his arm opposite the side it had entered and was surprised to find himself still awake.  
  
He raised his head to see the ghostly blue form retreat to the grey clouds with and orange soul as Dranzer had done before returning to the astonished Kuiper's Beyblade. Kuiper stared wide-eyed at his spinning blade before looking to Kai with the same flabbergasted expression. Kai was very much surprised himself. He held his right hand to where it hurt on his left arm, but other than that, he was perfectly fine. After glancing at Rhea and Kuiper, he looked to his arm and lifted his hand away. His uniform had been cut and a bloody wound displayed itself clearly on his arm.  
  
"I-I don't understand... You should be out cold! I saw Doppelgost take your soul! Why are you still awake?" Kuiper exclaimed.  
  
Kai turned his head around the two once again. "I...I don't know..."  
  
"You took a soul, alright, but it wasn't necessarily Kai's soul," Rhea said, having become aware of her surroundings once again. The two turned their attention towards her.  
  
"The soul you took, Kuiper, wasn't that of Kai's. It was merely the soul that occupied his arm. I am sure that Gilepse told you of the fact that Kai has more than one soul."  
  
"I do?" "He does?" the two boys chorused.  
  
"It's father, Tala! Look, Tala, look!" Anya cried, grabbing his arm and jerking it to pull him to see the figure.  
  
Tala stared silently, ignoring the yells of his sister screaming in his ear. The two were so entranced that they didn't see Telesto duck out from behind the red soul and draw the gun from its holster. With a snicker that foretold his approach, he fired at the mesmerized Tala.  
  
Samson's eyes flickered open warily to see Spica pinning Sarah to the ground. Spica held one wrist firmly and struggled to get past the dagger Sarah held protecting her throat from the one Spica had. Ignoring the pain in his chest, Samson staggered upward and towards the two.  
  
"Hey! Spica! Leave her alone! She wasn't sent to fight you!"  
  
"Neither were you sent to fight her," sounded a familiar voice as Samson felt an arm latch around his neck and pull him backward. The person reached out a navy blue uniformed arm and held the knife in his hand against his throat.  
  
Samson turned his head slightly to see Kieran smiling smugly back at him. "Kieran! Why are you doing this?"  
  
"Because I want to," was the simple answer. "Come with me-Gilepse's orders." With that, he dragged Samson away to the edge of the field, Samson not persisting but keeping an eye on Sarah and Spica.  
  
Spica let go of Sarah's wrist on feeling a sharp jab in the middle of her back. She fell forward towards Sarah's head from the impact but was thrown off in the grace period. Sarah massaged the knee she had used to knock Spica off with as she moved away from her recovering rival.  
  
Spica sat for a moment, dazed at what had just happened. She quickly disposed of her dagger by throwing it on the ground and leaping up. She headed for Sarah, who held her dagger out in front in a wild hope of penetrating the armour with a single hit. The belt was hacked and severed, the blue fabric draped stretched taut across the chest armour landed softly in the grass so that the Goadbwa logo on it was visible.  
  
Spica took no notice of it and grabbed a hold of Sarah's arms, holding them steady so that she couldn't fight back. Sarah took that to advantage and kicked with her legs at Spica until Spica knocked her off them with one swift move. Spica stood over Sarah, keeping a safe distance away from where her legs could thrash as she kept the grip on her wrists. Spica raised her leg to aim one devastating kick at Sarah's stomach when she felt a sharp pain on the top of her head. She let go and fell backwards, throwing both hands to the wound and coiling with pain.  
  
Sarah let her hands fall spreading to the ground and breathed a huge sigh of relief as she stared upward at the sky. All of a sudden, she saw a head appear above her, upside down, but someone to help her, nonetheless.  
  
"Want a hand?" Philemon asked, extending his hand down towards her.  
  
"I thought you didn't like helping me?"  
  
"I make exceptions."  
  
Sarah reached up and Philemon grabbed a hold of her arm, hauling her upright and onto her feet. Sarah breathed heavily as they both watched Spica cradle her aching head. She looked like a small child throwing a tantrum over a small cut, writhing and holding her head as if it would break should she loosen her grip.  
  
"Thanks," Sarah huffed, still trying to catch her breath.  
  
"Don't mention it. Hey Spica-had enough?"  
  
"You-You idiots! I'll show you that Goadbwa can and will win this! Deneb has faith in us, not Biovolt!" she managed to say through whimpers of pain.  
  
Philemon leaned closer to Sarah and lowered his voice that he couldn't be heard by Spica. "I received word that you, Tala, and Kai have to get together soon. The sooner, the better, that way we get this whole war over and done with. You go-I'll handle Spica."  
  
Sarah nodded and hurried to where the other two were, fiddling with pieces of her torn uniform.  
  
Rhea was about to reply but stopped when someone grabbed her from behind. It was a Goadbwa deploy and he held a knife to her back, ready to strike. "Mr Galsky would like you to unleash that extra soul of yours, Hiwatari."  
  
"What extra soul?" Rhea questioned, trying to sound innocent.  
  
Marduk pressed the knife harder to her back. Kai and Kuiper could see from the front that she was wincing in pain. "Don't play dumb. We're talking about your possession. That spirit inside of you-Crucis. Send her out, now, or we'll take it from you."  
  
Kai made a move to advance forward when Kuiper's gun aimed for him. "Move and you're dead, Hiwatari. So your soul wants to stay with you, but a soul has nothing to do with your life."  
  
Kai opened his mouth to speak when a voice from behind him interjected. "Kai!" There followed a gunshot from not too far away.  
  
Tala felt searing agony in his shoulder and heard a clank. Purplish blood exploded from the gunshot wound and the stench of burnt flesh filled his and Anya's noses.  
  
Anya stared at the gash in his shoulder. There was broken flesh which surrounded reddish metal. "Tala-l-look at your shoulder!"  
  
"I know." He glowered straight ahead at Telesto, who, seeing the look in Tala's eyes, appeared fearful and apprehensive.  
  
Telesto placed his gun back in its holster and drew back from Tala, who was advancing blindly on him. After a few calm steps, Tala dashed forward and reached for Telesto's neck only to be kicked in the chest by him. Tala fell backwards into a sitting position and breathed heavily to catch his breath as he saw Spica appear at Telesto's side.  
  
"We have to end this now," she ordered to him. "If we combine our powers, we can take them down right here, right now."  
  
Telesto nodded. "Right. Get Kuiper and assemble everyone here."  
  
Kuiper, Kai, and Sarah had turned to where Telesto, Spica and Tala were. Sarah looked a little further to where she had been fighting with Spica before to see Philemon sprawled out across the ground, his glasses lying in the grass nearby him.  
  
"Philemon!"  
  
"Don't worry 'bout him, Langley. I just had to shut him up for a while-he was getting in my way," sneered Spica. She turned to the other two. "Come on, let's split."  
  
Sarah was about to respond to their retreat when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be fine. Right now we have other things to worry about," Kai consoled.  
  
"But where are the soul supports?"  
  
"Right here," Tyson's voice resounded from behind. "We're here to help you."  
  
Eva stepped out from behind Tyson and over to where Tala sat on the grass in front of Vitality Extortion. She kept her eye warily on the gun the Telesto held out towards her in case she made a sudden move. She dragged Tala to the other five, depositing him to lean against Sarah's leg.  
  
Sarah bent down. "Tala? Are you going to be okay?"  
  
Tala breathed heavily in her face. He coughed throatily before replying. "No problem. I'll... be fine. Just help me up."  
  
Sarah took hold of both of his arms and yanked him up and onto his feet. He stood hunched over and swayed precariously for a moment before drawing up to full height and regaining full breath. "All right. Let's do this."  
  
"Where did Vitality Extortion go?" Bryan asked, looking around the field. "They ran off, I took my eye away, and now they're gone."  
  
Kai reached inside his torn black jumpsuit and pulled out his papal cross. He scrutinised it a moment before letting go of it and letting it fall against his chest. He spread his arms out as if to embrace a small child. "Take out your crosses and join hands."  
  
"What's that supposed to do?" questioned Tala, having regained his spunk.  
  
"Don't question me unless you have a better suggestion," Kai replied sternly.  
  
Tala muttered something about Kai being a show-off before reaching inside his white jumpsuit and pulling out his patriarchal cross and taking hold of both Sarah and Kai's hands.  
  
Sarah took out her Latin cross and Beyblade, gripping Fovular tightly in the hand with which she held Tala.  
  
"Ow! Hey, what are you doing?" he exclaimed, the points of her Beyblade digging into his skin.  
  
"Whoops, sorry, I-"  
  
"Good idea," added Kai. "Hold your Beyblades, too."  
  
Tala took out Wolborg and lowered his head as Kai and Sarah were doing as they all held hands. After a moment of silence among the three, Sarah opened her eyes and raised her head.  
  
"What exactly are we doing?"  
  
"Praying," answered Kai without looking up.  
  
"I don't see how that will help," Tala interjected.  
  
"We haven't been able to defeat Goadbwa up to this point. Maybe asking for help from the heavens is what will aid us. And if not, it's worth a try."  
  
Tala and Sarah looked at each other before mimicking Kai.  
  
"I always thought Kai was a little off his rocker..." Tyson whispered to Eva.  
  
Eva looked to the sky. It was covered in clouds, yet when the clouds did part, it was night. The bright moon shone above the mountains they stood in front of. Regardless of the fact that dark had fallen, individual battles raged throughout the field. She looked back to the Hilanovs when she began to hear them muttering something.  
  
"God of the high heavens and angels of death and life..." started Kai.  
  
"We not only ask for your aide in the salvation of our lives, but those of the world..." Tala continued.  
  
"O ye gods, give us the strength to battle the evil of Vitality Extortion..." finished Sarah.  
  
There was a silence in which nothing happened. The Hilanovs stood with their heads down, eyes closed and holding hands while Bryan, Eva, and Tyson watched intently. Bryan then raised his head and noticed something appearing in the clouds.  
  
"Hey, guys-look!"  
  
Tyson and Eva gawked upwards to see the storm clouds swirl, and then spread apart to reveal the blackish blue of the sky. There was a flash of bright light, and then a white beam shot down from the part in the clouds. It reached to the ground in the middle of the Hilanovs, creating a continuous ray of light.  
  
Their crosses floated away from their chests and seemed drawn to the light. From their hands poked the ghostly heads of their Bit Beasts, then the bodies, until they were completely drawn out and into the glow. The Hilanovs kept in their position.  
  
Tyson felt something vibrate in his hand and looked down to it. Dragoon pushed its way out from the confines of the bit piece and towards the beam of light as Wolborg, Dranzer and Fovular had done. The same was happening to Bryan and Eva, too, from their exclamation.  
  
Across the field, Robert paused in his battle with a Goadbwa deploy when Griffolyon veered away from the opponent it was halfway through attacking. He turned to see it being drawn to the light at the edge of the field near the pond and mountain exits. Glancing around the field, it seemed that all of the Bit Beasts belonging to deploys of Biovolt were being siphoned into the vortex.  
  
"What's happening?" he heard Emily exclaim frantically from somewhere nearby.  
  
"Their Bit Beasts are being drawn into the Soul Realm," Spica explained to Kuiper and Telesto, who also knew what was going on. They had returned from gathering a couple of trainees from around the field and stood some metres warily away. All were staring, wide eyed.  
  
"Their powers are strong to be able to summon the strength of the Gods..." Kuiper voiced pointlessly.  
  
"Are you sure we stand a chance against them?" Telesto questioned rhetorically.  
  
When all of the Bit Beasts had finished their air parade and been taken into the hole in the sky, the beam narrowed. From the break in the clouds descended a long, thin object with all the colours of the spirits shooting around it. It came down the beam slowly and stopped to hover in mid-air when it was arm's reach above the Hilanovs.  
  
Sarah was the first to open her eyes and raise her head. "Look!" she gasped.  
  
Tala and Kai did the same and saw the magnificent weapon floating over their heads. It was a sword with a leather handle and black pommel. The blade was of a lustrous silver that reflected the colours of the many spirits circling around it.  
  
Sarah let go of Tala's hand and reached upwards to bring it down further. She stretched her arm to full length, and when that didn't work, she boosted herself onto the edges of her toes. It hovered, just out of each attempt at reaching it.  
  
Kai reached upward and onto his toes as Sarah had done, this time just brushing it with his fingertips. Tala watched confusedly as they both tried to reach for it on tiptoe, neither one achieving the needed height. There were other ways of getting to it.  
  
Tala let go off both their hands and leapt up into the air, managing to grab a hold of the pommel in one hand. Though, as soon as he pulled it from its hovering position, it felt as heavy as lead and headed for the ground, Tala not strong enough to support its immense weight. Had Kai not jumped out of the way, he would have walked away from it with one less arm. Immediately, the white beam of light narrowed and flickered before disappearing completely to make the sky close and grey once again.  
  
Kai and Sarah stared at the sword in Tala's hand in astonishment. "Why didn't I think of that?" Sarah questioned rhetorically.  
  
"Because it's only fair to share glory," Tala replied succinctly. "This is great, but what are we supposed to do with it?"  
  
Sarah reached for the handle of the sword and tried to raise it, Tala having let go of it. She struggled with it, using both hands, but to no avail. Tala reached out to help her, gripping his hands firmly around hers on the pommel. Together, they were able to lift it a couple of centimetres off of the ground, but not to full height. Kai then reached out to help, hands over Tala and Sarah's.  
  
With a heavy heave from the three, it was pulled into the air and they raised it high above their heads. The Bit Beasts, since Tala had pulled it down, had stopped their circling, but began once more as the sword was held raised in the air.  
  
All the while this happened, the others on the battlefield had paused their battles to stare in amazement. Vitality Extortion stood the closest, and had been the most mesmerized by it all. They had brought some other Goadbwa officials with them, including Ophelia, whom they were surprised to meet. Kuiper was the first to wake from his mindless stare.  
  
"Come on, guys, who knows what will happen if they find out how to work that thing!"  
  
Spica and Telesto turned to him, having come to their senses at his comment. They both nodded as Kuiper lunged forward at Kai.  
  
"Get Kai! If we can't take down his multiple souls, we won't stand a chance against the other two!"  
  
"Let it rip!" Telesto exclaimed, firing his Beyblade at Kai. "Poltost, or should I say, Sergei Romanov, eat his soul!"  
  
Kai stood still and watched the red spirit heading for him when Tala leapt out in front, pulled out his dagger, and rushed forward at Telesto. He dodged the soul of his father and caught Telesto by his torn collar. Keeping a firm hold on the collar to hold him in place, Tala brought the dagger upwards and drove it right into the fleshy part under Telesto's chin.  
  
Telesto made a choking, gagging noise, and the blood poured from the wound as Tala quickly drew it out. Tala let go of Telesto, who drew back, stumbled, and fell to the ground, clutching the area of the violent wound.  
  
There was silence among the throng as Tala stared down at his victim, a ruthless and apathetic look on his face. Telesto kept his head buried, his chin against his neck and hands smearing blood from the wound. Poltost had also stopped in mid-air. After a minute or so, Telesto coughed up an amount of blood onto the ground before staggering up. He stood at full height, with his head still down, and massaged his chin a little before raising his head.  
  
Tala's eyes widened and he gasped. "Th-That's impossible! It was a fatal wound! What the heck happened?"  
  
Telesto looked to Spica, and then to Kuiper, who had been standing behind him. They had the same look as Tala. Where the blood had poured onto his uniform, it remained, but the area around where the wound had been was clean. In fact, there was no wound at all, just a reddish colouring as if it were a mere rash.  
  
"Let's not dwell on the small stuff, please, and get Kai's souls!" ordered Kuiper, bringing everyone to their senses once again.  
  
"Right!" Spica agreed, firing her Beyblade and commanding Revenost to go for Kai.  
  
Meanwhile, the sword had fallen from the hands of only two Hilanovs, and Kai stood like a deer in the headlights, half paralysed from fear. All three of Vitality Extortion's Bit Beasts came at him. He felt Doppelgost strike through his left arm, Poltost through his right leg, and Revenost through his torso. They penetrated one by one, each as painful as the last, and Kai wondered how many chances he had left. He recoiled to the ground and crouched, writhing in pain.  
  
"He's still alive and kicking, Spica..." Telesto warned in a mocking voice.  
  
"Don't you think I can see that? It's obvious that there are more than three souls in him. However many more, they won't last him long. Keep attacking!" she screeched back.  
  
Poltost, Doppelgost, and Revenost shot back through the clouds and back to the ground once more, each heading for Kai. How many more souls were contained in him from his syndication? Spica was right, not many. He closed his eyes and lowered his head to brace himself for the hit when he heard a loud clash and then moans.  
  
He raised his head to see Wolborg, Fovular, and Dranzer forming a barrier around him. Vitality Extortion's Bit Beasts had deflected off the barrier and were floating aimlessly away from it.  
  
"What are you waiting for? Break through that barrier!" Spica ordered the Bit Beasts and pointing at Kai.  
  
"You'll have to go through us, first!" countered Tala, standing his ground in front of Kai.  
  
"It's not going to work, guys," observed Kuiper. "It's obvious, their souls aren't willing to leave them, so get their lives out of the way, even if their souls are more valuable to Goadbwa."  
  
"I think it's also working vice versa," Sarah whispered to Tala out the side of her mouth. "You saw how Telesto's death wound healed almost immediately. We'll have to take their souls down."  
  
"I call Spica," Tala muttered back. He drew his gun quickly and made to aim at her, had she not been quicker to draw and fire first.  
  
Dranzer, Fovular, and Wolborg returned to their Beyblades and Kai got up from his crouching position. He headed for Telesto, who had had his attention elsewhere at the moment. Kai tackled Telesto to the ground and held the knife to his throat.  
  
"I'm generally not this violent, but when my buttons are pushed, I make exceptions," Kai growled.  
  
Telesto could do nothing but smile pleasantly back. "When I'm done with you, Kai, you'll wish you had felt pacifistic today."  
  
Seeing both his teammates occupied, Kuiper turned to Sarah, who had been standing beside the sword, unmoved from the position she had prayed in. She looked at him, her eyes clearly showing surprise and slight fear. He smiled and charged for her, dagger drawn.  
  
"You're mine!"  
  
He was a few inches away from her when she thrust out and swung her leg under his, knocking him off his feet and to the ground. He landed flat on his back to stared up at the sky, dazed, but not before he had landed a slash across her chest.  
  
As Kuiper lay on the ground, Sarah analysed the cut in the clothing. There was a laceration from her right shoulder to the top of her left breast. Surprisingly, there was only a small graze to the skin. As she was preoccupied with it, Kuiper recovered, leapt up, and knocked her down with his arm. She fell onto her rear and stared up at him, confusion on her features, He stepped toward her and she scrambled away, not turning her back to him and on all fours.  
  
"Come on, now. Let me do this properly and it won't hurt one bit. You won't feel a thing, my pretty," Kuiper drawled, a smug smirk on his face. He finally threw himself forward with the dagger.  
  
Sarah jumped out of the way just in time for him to plant the knife into the ground where her chest had just been. She got up onto her feet and ran around behind him, reaching for the sword and taking hold of it in both hands.  
  
Telesto kicked Kai off just as Kai began to bring the dagger down. Kai fell forward and Telesto leapt up to place his foot firmly on Kai's back so that he couldn't get up. "How's it feel to be the underdog for a change, Kai?"  
  
"Sweet as revenge," Kai replied wittily as he reached up with the knife and stabbed Telesto in the leg.  
  
Telesto drew his leg away immediately, and drew it to his chest to scrutinise the blood gush from it. Kai got onto his feet and brought the dagger to Telesto's chest. Telesto quickly moved his hands out of the way and drew back. There was a standstill between the two as Telesto's chest armour cracked from where the blade had impacted. It ran a crack up and down the front side of the white chest plate before the whole armour shattered and fell to the ground in pieces along with the blue belt.  
  
Kai and Telesto both looked to the heavy materials lying on the floor, both stunned at what had just happened. Kai let go of the dagger and it dropped to the grass among the shards of the armour. He looked up as he heard Telesto gasp. Telesto was looking over Kai's shoulder, and for a moment Kai wasn't sure whether or not to trust him. He turned, however, when he saw Spica and Tala also staring in the same direction, even though blood dripped from the gunshot wound in Tala's side.  
  
Sarah had lifted the sword, yet she didn't seem to notice she had. She held it above her head, poised to strike Kuiper, who neither seemed to notice that she wielded it easily in her hands. He drew his gun in one hand and dagger in the other. He fired a shot towards her, but she blocked it with the silver blade. She jabbed forward with the sword but was blown off by the dagger of Kuiper.  
  
They continued to throw these hits at each other, each either dodging or deflecting the blow. Everyone else was mesmerized by the fact that Sarah could wield it by herself when it had taken the three Hilanovs before, yet Kuiper and Sarah kept on battling despite the many eyes.  
  
Finally, the two parted for a break, about a metre away from each other as they scowled and panted at one another. After several moments, Kuiper made the first advance forward to strike, but Sarah made the move faster. She raised the sword to shoulder level and pared the blade horizontally. For those few petrified seconds as he glared into her angered eyes, Kuiper wished he had kept his arms up to block instead of jabbing forward.  
  
There was a stunned silence among the group as they stared at the scene, horrified. Sarah stared straight ahead, a distant and confused look in her eye, unaware of what kind of fury had come over her. She glanced to the sword, which felt light as a feather in her hand. She ran her eyes along the blade, and at the halfway point for several or so centimetres, the blade was no longer silver.  
  
She looked ahead again to see that her opponent was no longer standing in front of her and lowered her head. She saw why everyone had the mortified expression.  
  
Kuiper lay on his back, blood spattered over the upper part of his uniform. Sarah ran her eyes along the body, from toe to head, but had to stop short at the neck. The reason; there was no head to look at. A clean cut had been made through the middle of his neck with the Hilanov sword. The many main arteries and veins secreted mass amounts of blood onto the grass and reddened the bones of his spinal cord.  
  
Sarah cast her gaze slightly to the left and saw his head lying there, face up. His expression was wide-eyed, his mouth closed, the ultimate trepidation on his features. The severed neck clearly displayed the blood and more of the veins, arteries, and bones.  
  
She kept her eyes on it, wondering what to do and what she had done. She glanced to the blade again, and it immediately felt heavy once more, causing it to drop from her hands to the ground. She raised her head to Tala and Kai, who looked to her, both as stunned as she was.  
  
Spica was the first to break the silence among the throng. "K-Kuiper! No!"  
  
"I don't get it, shouldn't he be healing? Just as I did?" Telesto whispered.  
  
Ophelia stepped forward, solemn eyes on Kuiper's body. "Telesto, Spica, you two are the only ones left. Do you friend and Goadbwa proud. Artillery is with Marduk and Phoebe. Go. I'll take care of the Hilanovs."  
  
Telesto and Spica nodded. With once last glance at their dead companion, they turned and ran off somewhere with Phoebe and Marduk. Once they were gone, Ophelia advanced to Sarah. She reached into her lab coat pocket and slowly drew out a small silver gun. She raised it to fire, when Tala hurtled towards her and tackled her to the ground. In surprise, she fired, and the bullet tore through Tala's right leg.  
  
He fell to the ground and rolled away, the shot of the gun and his yell jolting Sarah back to her surroundings. She looked to Ophelia on the floor beside her, and inched away as Ophelia rose to her feet. Ophelia fired again and nicked the armour on Sarah's elbow, slicing the edge of her glove.  
  
Sarah tried to lift the sword again, but it was too heavy. She drew her gun and stepped away from Ophelia, not turning her back on the woman.  
  
"It's no use trying to evade your death, girl. What goes around, comes around, and the death you befell Kuiper shall be carried out by me."  
  
Sarah turned rapidly and ran towards the pond. She heard another gunshot ring as a bullet rushed past her left ear. When she came to the edge of the water, she stopped and whipped back around to see Ophelia slowing down from the run she had originally had. Ophelia stepped closer, gun held out and ready to shove her into the water.  
  
When Ophelia was a metre away and ready to shoot at point-blank, Sarah aimed her gun at Ophelia, but her nervousness caused her quivering hand to miss-fire, and the bullet hit the gun in Ophelia's hand. It was knocked out of her hand, and Ophelia watched it fly towards the ground first before thrusting forward into Sarah. Sarah lost the weapon in her hand and fell backwards, into the water.  
  
She took a deep breath of air before water filled her nostrils, causing a sting in her throat. She waited for the plunge downward to subside before freeing herself from Ophelia's body and swimming to the surface. She broke its surface and took another deep breath of air in. She looked down into the depths of the water to find Ophelia. There was silence in the water, and no shadows were looming below the surface.  
  
"Don't tell me I've killed someone else..." Sarah muttered to herself. She whirled around while still treading water to try to find the woman. She finally thought she saw something in the water and brought her head closer to the water to get a better look at it when she heard a splash behind her.  
  
She whipped around to see Ophelia there, taking a deep breath and a crazily infuriated expression on her face, her hair completely drenched. Sarah made to swim away as Ophelia reached her arms forward and grabbed Sarah's shoulders, forcing her under. Sarah struggled for breath, fighting and kicking until finally she got Ophelia in the shin. Ophelia immediately let go to cradle her leg and Sarah rose to the surface and swam to the edge of the pool.  
  
Once Ophelia caught her breath and the pain had subsided, she swam after Sarah, who was trying to recuperate at the edge of the pond. Ophelia reached out and slashed with her nails, catching a part of Sarah's uniform at the arm and also breaking the skin. Red burst from the new wound and clouded the water.  
  
Ophelia made another attempt to drown the girl by pushing her underwater once more, but this time, Sarah reached above the water and pulled Ophelia down with her. Sarah managed to pull herself above the surface momentarily to grab another breath as Ophelia pulled her under again. Sarah could hold her breath no longer and was on the verge of passing out when she felt Ophelia release her. Sarah surfaced above the water and took the deepest breath she ever had taken in, still feeling extremely dizzy.  
  
She heard voices calling her name and tried to move toward them, but lack of oxygen to her brain made her disoriented and she didn't know which way to turn. She began to sink below the water. She heard a splashing coming towards her, though the direction kept changing. She sank underwater and saw her blood making the water murky before her eyes. She was about to be knocked out cold when she felt someone grab her around the chest and pull her above the water.  
  
She was dragged the shore and lifted out of the water by another pair of hands. She coughed up mouthfuls of water that had been in her throat and opened her eyes just in time to see Kai pull himself out of the water, dripping wet. He caught his breath and moved closer to her just as she closed her eyes.  
  
She felt her body being transferred from whoever had been holding her to Kai, and she remained still, trying to catch her breath and keeping her stinging eyes closed.  
  
"She's bleeding," she heard Tala's voice say.  
  
"Yes, I'm bleeding," she wanted to say, but she didn't have the breath.  
  
"We'll have to staunch it," Tala continued.  
  
"You're bleeding, too," Kai countered. "Take care of yourself first, hers is only a minor wound."  
  
"She's not breathing, Kai!"  
  
"She'll be fine!"  
  
Kai looked at the body lying in his arms. Tala was right, though her chest heaved, she didn't seem to be getting the air she needed. She coughed, and then finally stopped breathing altogether. Her face started to become blue. Kai gasped and jerked her back and forth gently.  
  
"Sarah? Sarah! Can you hear me? Sarah!"  
  
"She's passed out!" Tala exclaimed. "See what waiting did?"  
  
"She needs air."  
  
"We don't exactly have a respirator with us!"  
  
"But we do have a person that knows CPR," Kai said as he lay her down flat on her back.  
  
Tala held a look of disbelief as he glared at Kai. "Don't... tell me you..."  
  
Kai lowered his head and placed his ear near her mouth. He lay two fingers against her neck to find a pulse. "Her heart's still beating, but you're right, she isn't breathing."  
  
He opened her mouth wider to see if there was anything obstructing her airway. "She must've swallowed water."  
  
Kai tilted her head back slightly and pinched her nose. He then took a deep breath in and bent low over her mouth. He exhaled the air into her mouth. When he had run out of air, he raised his head and let go of her nose.  
  
"Nothing's happening, Kai," Tala urged impatiently.  
  
"She's going to live."  
  
Tala watched silently as Kai lowered his head once more and repeated the action. Kai raised his head again and looked to him.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Same as before."  
  
"Come on," Kai muttered as he took another deep breath in and bent down again. But this time, when he was halfway through the air in his lungs, he felt a rush of air come back at him and into his mouth.  
  
Kai pulled away and let go of her nose, wiping his wet mouth as he observed her cough and start to breathe again. Tala helped her to sit up straight and patted her back to help her get the lodged water out of her throat. She spat it onto the ground and took in a mouthful of air.  
  
"You okay?" Tala asked.  
  
Sarah nodded. "I am now."  
  
Tala smiled with an expression of relief. "You've Kai to thank for your life. You would've drowned had he not jumped in, dragged you ashore, and then performed CPR. But don't forget me-I was the one that knocked Ophelia out with that stone."  
  
Sarah turned around to look at Kai, who was trying to dry himself off. He looked up on the mention of his name. Staring into the greenish- grey adoring eyes of Sarah, he began to blush. "Uh...Yes?"  
  
"Thank you, Kai. I guess we're even, now, aren't we?"  
  
"Yeah. I wouldn't be here today to save you if I'd gone over that waterfall or frozen in that ice floe," he replied, smiling unconsciously out of embarrassment.  
  
"Oh, such a mushy moment. You two are making me sick-" Tala cut in, but he was intercepted by a scream that rang across the battlefield.  
  
Kai looked around in alarm. "That's Rhea. And when she screams, it definitely isn't a good thing."  
  
"But where is she?" questioned Sarah, also scanning the area.  
  
"She's nowhere on the field. Which reminds me-where's Anya?" Tala added.  
  
Kai stood up and ran off without another word.  
  
"Kai! Kai, where are you going?" Tala and Sarah both cried in unison. They watched as Kai ignored them and ran along the edge of the field in the direction of the entrance to the field they had entered from. He disappeared behind one of the huge rocks that made the border of the field.  
  
"Stay here," Tala instructed her as he leapt up from his kneeling position and began to head off in Kai's direction.  
  
"But Tala-Ah!"  
  
Tala stopped and turned when he heard an explosion and then a scream. He saw flames ignite the grass and Sarah crouching into a ball to protect herself.  
  
"Get into the water!" he yelled. She either didn't hear him, or refused to obey the order. He looked the right to see Telesto and Spica halfway across the field with bazookas resting on their shoulders. They were aiming to fire again.  
  
"Get in the stupid water!" Tala repeated angrily. He heard one of them fire and ran forward, scooping Sarah up as he dove into the water, narrowly missing the shell that exploded where she had previously been sitting.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So now the Hilanovs have split up and Telesto and Spica have brought out the big guns (literally). Kuiper's down for the count, and so is Ophelia. The older Hilanovs are missing and Rhea's in distress. But what happened to Gilepse and Boris, and who is the traitor that Spica suspects? Will the remaining two members of Vitality Extortion manage to take down the Hilanovs on their own, or will it be the other way around? Review and find out in the next chapter, Vitality's Extortion! 


	22. Death of an Angel

You know, I've been thinking that I should help out all of those no-talent authors out there. I've seen so many Fanfics asking for characters, and I think that maybe I should give a tutorial on character creating and everything. Goodness knows how many characters are in this story. I could give the story behind The Hilanov Prophecy, and hopefully that would help people out at least a little. I write it as a chapter to the Hilanov Prophecy, and it will kind of be one of those "feature" things that you can get on DVDs-yeah, that works out! Author's commentary, you know?  
  
NO! Beyblade V-Force just had to go and ruin all things perfect! Oh, I should have waited to watch Beyblade, V-Force, and G Revolution before I went and started making all these technical things of the story! I was watching the V-Force episode a week or two ago where the Bladebreakers were deciding who would be on each other's teams in the final tournament, and Hilary suggested using their star signs. It turns out that Max is the youngest on the team and Kai the oldest. Tyson is a Virgo, not a Taurus and Kai is way off from the star sign I originally gave him; Scorpio. He's actually an Aries! Then, my friend tells me that there are repetitive Bit Beasts. There is an equivalent to Sarah's Fovular, or fox spirit. (I didn't see the episode, and still haven't even though they're repeating the season). Apparently there's some kid who has a fox Bit Beast and the guy's name is "Foxy". Hm...Look that word up in the dictionary and you'll see that its general meaning doesn't exactly fit the rating of Beyblade... And then there's King and Queen, who I found out about. They both have repeats of Elvin's Bit Beast, a ram, and King's is almost similar in name, even! Elvin's is Ariamar, while King's is Arial! It also turns out that Tyson has a secret relation that we aren't informed of until the very end of the third season. I won't tell you any more about it, though, or I'll ruin the odd surprise (Tch, it would be pretty unfair since Tyson doesn't know about it himself-don't ask me how).  
  
22. Death of An Angel  
  
Kai looked around the rocky area. There were mountains in every direction, and no sign of Rhea from this area where he had heard the scream come from. Just then, another yell rent then air. Though, it wasn't Rhea's-it sounded more like that of Samson's.  
  
A "Kieran! Why are you doing this? Ah!" confirmed his suspicions.  
  
Kai ran forward towards the small mountain towering before him and turned to the right as he came to it. When he came to the side opposite the one he had been facing before he saw an assembly of sharp rocks jutting upward out of the dusty ground underneath a ledge. The ledge reached out some ten metres from the rocky mound itself and a natural ramp made of rock led up to the ledge.  
  
Kai scaled it with ease and came to the top to see a whole throng of both Goadbwa and Biovolt deploys. Gilepse stood near the ledge's edge with his arm around Rhea's neck and holding a knife to her throat. Boris stood some metres away, ready to move but apprehensive. Also near the edge were Samson and Kieran, Kieran cornering Samson to the drop.  
  
"Make a move, Balkov, and I slit her throat," Gilepse called out to the man in the green coat.  
  
"Kill her, if you must. For then I'll have nothing to lose," Boris replied, almost tauntingly.  
  
"No!" Kai yelled, causing everyone to turn to him.  
  
"Kai!" exclaimed Boris. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the Abbey!"  
  
Kieran turned around and made an amused chuckle. "It seems that little Hiwatari can't follow simple rules."  
  
"It's no wonder you're not trusted by anyone, Boris. Your trainees can't even obey you!" added Gilepse.  
  
Kai ignored their jests. "Kill her, and you'll have to kill me first."  
  
"Kai! Get awa-ow!" Rhea cried as Gilepse jerked his arm tighter around her neck.  
  
Gilepse smiled. "Talking tough, are we? Let's see if you can back it up. Kieran!"  
  
Kieran pulled away from the position he was cornering Samson with. He advanced towards Kai with a dirk in his hand. Kai didn't move away from him, but stayed still and swayed away slightly. Kieran lay the flat of the blade against Kai's chin.  
  
"So sorry. Gilepse's orders."  
  
"You're such a mindless puppet."  
  
"Maybe I should tell you, Kai, I don't fall for mind games."  
  
"Maybe, but I'll bet the traitorous Toutalis does." Kai reached in his belt and pulled out his dagger so fast that it was a blur to everyone that watched. He thrust his arm forward and slashed for Kieran's side.  
  
But in one quick reaction, Kieran moved the dirk from Kai's throat and blocked the dagger with the blade of the dirk. He struck the blade away from his body and with such force the dagger flew out of Kai's hand and cluttered to the ground below the ledge-too far for Kai to get to.  
  
Kieran and Kai both looked at the blade lying on the ground before turning back to each other, Kai surprised and Kieran with the unfaltering smile on his face.  
  
"You were saying?" he asked quaintly.  
  
Kai growled and leapt back as Kieran was tackled to the ground by Boris, but not before Kieran's flailing arm caused the blade of the dirk to scrape across Kai's right cheek. Kai stepped back, tripped and stumbled to the ground, all the while holding the area of his cheek closer to his eye. He curled himself into a ball, holding both hands over the wound and hiding his face. The pain was unbearable, and he found it hard to hold back the tears. He heard footsteps advance on him from behind and he felt a hand rest itself on his shoulder, but he didn't look up.  
  
"Kai! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Anya interrogated emphatically.  
  
"Just...Fine!" Kai managed to growl.  
  
"Let me see your cheek!"  
  
Kai opened his eyes and his tears ran down his cheeks, stinging the wound even more painfully before. He flung his hands back to the wound and curled into an even tighter ball.  
  
"Kai, you have to let me see!"  
  
Kai clenched his teeth, wiped at his eyes with his glove and raised his head to look at Anya. She stared at it for a moment before untying one of the ribbons in her hair. She reached out to the wound with it, but Kai pulled away.  
  
"This is the closest thing I have to a bandage!"  
  
Kai continued to look away. "I'll be fine."  
  
"You can't continue to fight like this! You have to know when to quit or you'll pay a greater price than you bargained for, Hiwatari! You can't only think of your parents, you have to think about yourself, Rhea!" she yelled.  
  
Kai turned to her. "'Rhea'?"  
  
Anya pulled back and looked to the ground in embarrassed anger. "Sorry. You're just like your sister-always so stubborn and willing to fight at all costs. I often yell at her about it, but she doesn't listen. She battles in her own way."  
  
"As much as I love sentimental moments, could we please get on with your annihilation?" Kieran taunted from where he had landed on the ground with Boris. Kieran had his foot on the comatose man's back so that he couldn't get up.  
  
Anya rose steadily. "Why you- Who do you think you are?" She began walking towards him, calmly, and using her hands to assist in her speaking.  
  
"First, you come to the battlefield with us when you're told to go with the snipers, then, when we get to the battlefield, you betray us by going to Goadbwa's side. Third, you drag Samson, Rhea, and I up to this secluded spot and obey all of Gilepse's orders! And if that's not enough, you had to go knock out Boris and injure Kai, too! What is your deal?"  
  
Kieran simply smiled. "My deal? You ask?"  
  
He reached forward at breakneck speed and grabbed Anya's neck in both hands. He squeezed tighter and tighter, Anya stretching onto tip-toe and grabbed his wrists in an effort to pry them away. There was silence among the group as they watched the scene, and Anya was becoming blue in the face.  
  
Kai leapt to his feet and snatched the dirk that Kieran had dropped in order to strangle Anya. He let go of his cheek and slashed with the dirk between the two. Anya exhaled deeply and fell to the ground. Kieran had a look of slight surprise on his face as he stared at his arms, or what was left of them. He looked to the ground where both gloved hands lay, having loosened their grip on the girl's throat. He brought the ends of his arms to him. They had been severed right in the middle of the forearms. He smiled at them and let his arms rest at his sides before turning to Kai.  
  
"Well, it seems you've rendered my arms useless."  
  
Kai was more surprised himself than Kieran was. He gawked at the bloody stumps of flesh where Kieran's hands had been before looking into his smiling face. Kai backed away, this seemed inhuman. Not a hint of expression, no tear of pain, no clenched teeth to try to suppress the agony of the feat. Blood dripped freely from the sharp ending.  
  
"Kieran!"  
  
Kai turned and Kieran peered over Kai's shoulder to see a mortified Eva, hands clasped over her mouth as if she were about to be sick. She made to step forward but Kai extended his arm to block her way.  
  
"He's not your brother anymore."  
  
"He is my brother! He always will be!" Eva countered, ready to knock Kai out of the way if he didn't give in verbally. She raised her head on hearing a scream.  
  
Marduk had Rhea's wrist in one hand and a knife in another. He was holding the knife so that he was poised to hack off her hand as Kai had done Kieran. Gilepse began yelling something at Rhea, though it wasn't aimed at Rhea, exactly.  
  
"Come on out, Crucis. We know you're in there. If you don't come out freely, I'll get Marduk to liberate you by force. If you come and join Goadbwa, you can kill and eat all the souls you want."  
  
The struggle could be seen on Rhea's face as if she were trying to hold back something with great difficulty. Finally, she gave in and exhaled deeply as she lowered her head. Her body went limp and sagged in Marduk and Gilepse's grasp for a moment. Her hand flexed and stretched in a couple of interluded spasms before she was dead still. She then raised her head slightly, so that she didn't look so lifeless, yet her face was hidden by her bangs. She spoke, her voice raspier than normal and sounding like she had multiple voices.  
  
"This girl has lived eighteen years too long. She needs to be my guinea pig to demonstrate to the Hiwataris just how foolish they were those generations ago." She raised her head to full extent, though still allowed her arms to flop in Gilepse and Marduk's grasps. Her eyes were glowing bright red, and blood was beginning to dribble from her mouth.  
  
"Twenty years ago, I was killed by that blasted Kaji Hiwatari. I was blamed for Celeste's death, even after it was confirmed that she had frozen. The Abbey had a death penalty which Kaji took upon himself to fulfil. I was innocently finishing up an assignment when he came in, said something about responsibilities and then pulled the trigger on me. I had to repay his incongruous cruelty somehow. He lost himself, and now he shall lose his only daughter."  
  
"My father wouldn't do that," protested Kai, sounding only half-sure about his statement.  
  
"You say that, but you don't mean it. Even you can tell that," the unearthly Rhea replied.  
  
Eva curled into herself and moved right behind Kai in self-defence. "What's going on, Kai?"  
  
Kai lowered his head but kept his eyes on his sister. "I don't know, but I have a feeling we'll find out soon enough."  
  
All of a sudden there came a fleshy gurgling sound and the tearing of some sort of cloth material. Gilepse and Marduk let go of Rhea, having felt a sharp jolt of electricity run through her arms. Gilepse looked back to her as he massaged his hand. Her uniform around her shoulderblades was torn and from it protruded two white stumps. Blood secreted from the breaks in the skin where the white had appeared.  
  
Kai, Eva, Kieran, Anya, Samson and a couple of Goadbwa and Biovolt deploys watched as Rhea threw her hands to the sides of her head and screamed with her eyes screwed shut before lowering her head to her knees and screaming again. She coughed and viscous blood spattered on the ground in front of her.  
  
"Leave me alone!" she screamed.  
  
"Stop fighting me and it won't hurt as much," scolded the raspy voice.  
  
"I don't want you to inhabit me anymore!" she yelled and she sank to her knees, keeping her head down and writhing in her position.  
  
She curled into the tightest ball she could before throwing her head back and letting out another shrill cry. She threw her head down again and shook it, blood pouring from her mouth again as tears from her eyes mixed with it. The white stumps pushed themselves out further, drying themselves of the red liquid as they made more contact with the air. Rhea kept her head down and on her knees as the white stumps extended to stick-like protrusions approximately a metre long. The last drips of blood trickled from the tips held in the air as everyone continued to watch in silence.  
  
Then, the stumps extended, as if unfolding. Slowly, but surely, each one peeled apart to either side of Rhea, each sticky feather pulling apart with a squelching sound. When these wings had spread apart, Rhea stretched them to full extent, and as if exercising them, drew them inwards and outwards once more. She drew them close to her crouched body like a cocoon and then slowly raised her upper body, though she remained kneeling.  
  
Her head was uncovered, and they watched as the left side of her head began to mutate. They couldn't see what was happening to her face, though the change in her hair was certainly noticeable. The shade of her hair darkened, its original light blue now becoming a dark navy blue like Spica's or half of Kai's. It then grew long, growing to just below shoulder- length. All this happened to her left side while her right remained untouched and perfectly normal.  
  
She then started to raise her head and upper body. She rose to a sitting position, still kneeling, as if pausing for her comrades to glimpse upon her new face. One eye glowed bright red, the other bright green, a blank but angered look on her face as she stared at the empty space in front of her. As she stood up, they could see that not only her head had morphed to this strange being, but her whole body was a half of some other female none of them except Kai knew.  
  
"Those...Those wings...That face, the hair, the eyes... I've seen that girl before. But who is it, and how do I know her?" Kai muttered to himself, still completely stunned at the possessed soul standing before him.  
  
"Rhea! No!"  
  
At that moment, Kai whipped around just in time to see Samson running forward towards the creature of a dark angel.  
  
****  
  
"Contact completely lost with subject number three, ma'am!" one of the technicians informed as the screen went blank and was covered in electrical snow.  
  
Lori sighed and lowered her head to her hands. "Oh, Ophelia... If only you were here. I don't know what to do without your leadership-none of us do. Come back to us, Dr. Seki..."  
  
"Lori, bad news... Extremely bad news..." another technician vociferated, the horror and sadness clearly showing in his features and voice.  
  
Lori rushed over. "What is it?"  
  
He turned around to face her, fighting to hold back the tears. "I just received word from Spica, pretty much our last contact. She said they were resorting to the drastic measures of Plan B."  
  
"Which are? Why is this?"  
  
"The reason we've lost contacts with Kuiper is because he isn't there to respond..." Ryan's voice now quavering.  
  
A look of confusion and unhappy prediction crossed Lori's features. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Ryan paused to choke back the tears. "He... He is... Spice said we must Prospice... look forward, and not dwell though it may hurt and defame us..."  
  
Lori's eyes were now tear-filled, too. "Oh... You mean...? Surely, no," she said as she pulled away and hugged her arms to her chest. She turned away violently and buried her head in her hands once more. "Oh dear Father, why have you forsaken us? Our real evil lurks behind Gilepse, not that poor innocent boy. It was the same for Hans! Why..." she paused to sniff back her tears and blow her nose with a handkerchief. "Why do all of us live this way?"  
  
"Uh, Lori... I hate to make a bad situation worse for all of us, but... We have also lost contact with Ophelia, and we have that reason from Spica, too," Josh whimpered soberly.  
  
At this point, Lori sank to the floor and wept. The other four in the room who weren't already crying began now. They all stopped and looked up on hearing the sliding doors whoosh open. In barrelled men in armoured black clothing, guns held out in front of them.  
  
"We're commandeering the Castle," Victor ordered. "Hand it over and move out quietly and no one shall be hurt."  
  
"The Biovolt Corporation will set you free. We plan to take no prisoners," another one added.  
  
"Take whatever you want! I don't care anymore!" Lori screamed at them, pounding her fists on the cold tile floor and crying even harder than before.  
  
"Hang on," countered Josh, rising angrily form his seat. Who do you think you are just barging in here and asking of our surrender? How low can Biovolt go? Sending a team to take out the opposing side undercover and to shoot all of the contacts?"  
  
"We weren't planning to kill you," Victor replied calmly. "Our strict orders were to evacuate this building and demolish it, but if you want to die with it, I'm sure Boris will have no qualms about that."  
  
"You can't just kick us out!" Kerry exclaimed.  
  
"Look, if you don't argue, you don't die," explained Victor, raising his machine gun and poised to shoot.  
  
***  
  
"Dr. Tate! Director Langley! Dr. Romanov! Mr. Langley! Come quickly!" Kenny yelled.  
  
Judy was the first to arrive and almost threw herself against the keyboard in her urgency. "What is it, Kenny? Is the news good or bad?"  
  
"I wouldn't say so. There's a lot of radio interference on Rhea's censors! Her vision is impaired and her brainwaves irregular. There was also a major jolt to Kieran's trauma area of the brain, and Nikita's recorded a massive amount of blood loss from him-practically fatal! Things aren't looking good for what we have on Tala, either. I was told that his senses are receiving an overload of fluid and may shortcircuit the system!"  
  
"What is the fluid?" Nigel asked from behind, having appeared.  
  
"We're not sure. We don't have direct contact with him, and so we're unable to tell," Kenny replied, now less frantic.  
  
"I'm running a system scan for foreign matter," Lutka answered as she typed something madly onto a nearby computer.  
  
"Let's hope it's not an aneurysm," Irina voiced. "Blood in his mental CPU could bring down his whole functioning system as we know it permanently.  
  
"Well, it's not blood, but appears to be water," Lutka reported, pulling away from the keyboard.  
  
"What do we have on Samson, Anya, and Boris?" a new voice asked, having only entered the room now.  
  
They all turned to see Mr. Dickenson standing solemnly in the doorway, his brow sweaty and hat missing. He had also taken of his suit jacket.  
  
"Nothing much, sir. Boris is currently unresponsive, but measures of thought from Samson and Anya conclude that he's unconscious," Kenny replied.  
  
"How are the return trainees?" inquired Judy.  
  
Mr. Dickenson lumbered over and flopped down on a nearby chair and took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his face. "Not, good, not good. It's tiring work trying to tend to them all at once. They all require so much and there aren't enough of us up there. But it's not too much to worry about-only a couple have critical wounds, while a quarter have lost souls, so we don't have to watch them too much. Some have had strange curses placed on them, which the Abbey priests and nuns are trying to rid them of. The rest of them will be up and about in a day or two if all goes well."  
  
Kenny and Irina looked at each other. "What kinds of curses?" they questioned in unison.  
  
"To be honest, I'm not quite sure. It seems to be some sort of devil- pact, or of something just as evil. They're perfect and good as gold one minute, but then begin screaming, running around and wreaking havoc the next. They become unpredictable and seem mentally ill in its truly worst form. So what do we do about those three?"  
  
Judy glanced sideways at the screen Kenny had been staring at before. "Well, Kieran has betrayed the Biovolt and BBA side for Goadbwa-he's taking orders from Gilepse. As for Rhea, we can't get through to her at all-she won't listen to anything we say. She either can't hear or she's ignoring us while Tala... should be fine."  
  
***  
  
Tala fought to hold his breath, since he hadn't caught one before going under. He was convinced that he had to be suffocating her, since she was clutched so close to his body. Tala opened his eyes, and though they stung from the pondwater, he could see the goings-on above. The smoke from a recent explosion hovered overtop the surface of the water, and soon another shell penetrated the surface.  
  
Tala held the surely unconscious Sarah in one arm and used his other to paddle out of the way of the bombshell sinking towards them. He paddled his legs frantically to the other side of the pond and reached it just as he began to feel dizzy.  
  
With a thrust upward from impact against the bottom of the pond, his head went above water, and he jerked the passenger body up from the depths. He felt shockwaves move through the water and heard a muffled boom. He heaved Sarah up onto the shore and then pulled himself out tiredly. They were out of Telesto and Spica's sights so he decided to sit and catch his breath a moment.  
  
Tala leant against the large rock that provided them shelter. He glanced down and saw her lying face down, so he reached out and turned her over. She was blue in the face. He sighed in between panting.  
  
"Oh...come on! Don't tell me you need mouth to mouth again! I... was never trained!"  
  
As if his comment were enough, she coughed up a mouthful of water and struggled to sit up. "You...should have just...let me get hit..."  
  
Tala caught the last of his breath and jumped forward onto his hands and knees, a shocked look on his face. "What do you mean? Why?"  
  
She coughed again and her eyes became watery. "You saw what happened. I'm a murderer!"  
  
"No, you're not!"  
  
"Yes I am!" she sobbed. "All the morals I had have been ignored. I don't deserve to live! I killed Kuiper! Spica and Telesto were only showing me my wrong-doings!"  
  
Tala leant back on his haunches and scratched his head as he groaned in annoyance. "Oh, for... Look-we've had this talk before."  
  
He took her hand in his own and squeezed it tightly. He gazed intently at her with a longing and pleading look as he leant forward to try and make her look at him. "There are certain times where we have to disobey our morals. It's either their life or ours-survival of the fittest-a dog eat dog world out there-blood for blood-!"  
  
"You can stop with the metaphors."  
  
"Sorry-I just... Never mind. My point is that in some rare cases, it's okay to kill people. If he killed you, a lot more lives and souls would be lost, whereas when you killed him, all those souls and lives were protected. You catch my drift?"  
  
"That doesn't make me feel any better. If we could have persuaded him not to do such terrible things, we wouldn't have to resort to such terrible acts in the first place..."  
  
"Some things can't be worked out! Get that through that thick, pacifistic head of yours!" Tala yelled at her, raising his voice louder than he had intended to. "If you can't be aggressive, you'll find that you'll only be taken advantage of in life! Wrong can also be right!"  
  
"You didn't think you could hide forever, did you?" a voice taunted from behind them. Tala turned around and Sarah looked up to see Spica. Telesto emerged from behind her.  
  
"Honestly, Tala, if you don't want to be found, you shouldn't make your voice so loud. I would've thought you'd have more sense than that!" Telesto jested.  
  
Tala leapt up and out of their way while Sarah stayed put in her sitting position on the ground. "Get up!" he ordered. She kept her head down, ignoring him.  
  
Spica looked to Telesto with a smirk on her face. "Care to do the honours?"  
  
"My pleasure," he replied as he drew his gun from his belt and placed the end firmly against the side of Sarah's head. "Too bad it has to end this way, Sarah. You were a pretty, young thing."  
  
Telesto leapt back as the handgun flew out of his hand, having been knocked by something. He looked up to see Tala with his launcher still out, the ripcord held firmly in his outstretched arm. His Beyblade spun to a stop, having got caught in the thick grass of the field.  
  
Telesto reached into his belt again and pulled out his Beyblade and secured it to the launcher strapped on his arm. "Oh, so that's how you want to play, eh? Then let's get this show on the road! Let it rip!"  
  
Once launched into the grass, the blades attached to his attack ring scythed at the surrounding area until the Beyblade had created a sizeable ring for the two to battle. Telesto bent down, picked up Wolborg, and tossed it to Tala.  
  
"See? I'll even be a good sportsman for you," he quipped.  
  
Tala caught the blade deftly and kept his eye on Telesto as he fit it to his launcher and fired it.  
  
***  
  
"Rhea, no!" Samson yelled as he charged forward at the creature.  
  
Kai reached out to hold him back, but missed. "Samson! Stay away from her!"  
  
Samson ignored him and stopped short when he was just a metre from the stolid figure. He stared in disbelief straight ahead and into her blank eyes. "Rhea?" he whispered, a quiver in his voice.  
  
He took a few slow steps closer until he was a foot away. "Rhea? Tell me-what's wrong?"  
  
"Samson! Get away!"  
  
He blocked out Kai's frantic yells. Samson reached out to touch her. "Rhea?"  
  
"Samson! Don't touch her!" Kai scolded yet again, but to no avail.  
  
Samson's hand was an inch away from her cheek when her hand whipped up and grabbed his wrist. She twisted it rapidly at an odd angle, and with an ominous crack, his hand flopped to one side of his extended arm, broken. Samson yelped in agony and pulled away from her instantly, but she followed him as he backed away.  
  
"I told you to stay away, but did you listen, to me? Did you?" Kai reprimanded.  
  
Eva heard some moans from behind her and turned to see Boris stirring. She hurried away from Kai and knelt beside Boris. "Are you okay, Mr. Balkov?"  
  
Boris pushed himself up and rubbed his head ruefully. "I think... What happened?"  
  
"Your precious trainee is turning on you, Boris," Gilepse said with a smile as he watched Rhea follow Samson slowly. "Just think-in a little while it will all be over. Once she's finished taking care of Samson, she'll get Anya, and then your end is evident."  
  
Boris made to get up but was stopped by Eva. "Don't Boris. It's only a waste of your time."  
  
Samson continued to back away until he collided with Kai, who was reluctant to move out of the way. Rhea stopped in her tracks and stood staring at the boy at her mercy. She spoke.  
  
"Why do you run when it was you that came to me first? Why are you afraid of me? Help me, Samson," she said softly in her normal voice, extending her arm innocently. "I'll heal your broken wrist, I'm sorry I hurt you in the first place."  
  
Samson had moved beside Kai. He continued to gawk in fear at Rhea's outstretched hand for a moment before looking to Kai, wanting his confirmation. Kai had been right before, he'd probably be right now, but Kai was keeping his eyes fixedly on Rhea, deliberately not turning to Samson.  
  
Samson looked back to Rhea fearfully, still holding his wrist. "Are... Are you sure? I..."  
  
A smile crossed Rhea's lips, though her eyes remained the same. "It's okay. I won't hurt you again."  
  
Samson cast one last glance at Kai before extending his limp hand once more.  
  
"No, don't!"  
  
Samson whipped his head to the right quickly to see Kai extending his hand to push his arm out of the way. Rhea's face suddenly turned back to the creature's and instead of grabbing Samson's hand as she had intended to, she grabbed the next closest thing; her brother's.  
  
Kai yelled and struggled with both hands to get away, but couldn't. He writhed about, fought Rhea, but se kept an unmoving grip on him. Kai finally stopped moving after a while, but he stood with his legs straddled and his upper body sagging to the floor like a toy doll that had run out of batteries, his arm handing limp in Rhea's and his other arm hanging, brushing the ground. A silence hung about the throng, Samson staring in horror at what could have happened to him.  
  
"Kai Hiwatari," the raspy voice of Crucis uttered as Rhea kept holding his wrist.  
  
Kai jerked a little, then was still again. Slowly, his dragging arm curled into a shaking fist and he raised that arm to his hidden chest. Without warning, he raised his upper body violently and yelled again. The look on his face was crazed, yet full of pain, and still, Rhea held his wrist, unmoving. From Kai's chest pushed some light, as if reluctant to come out.  
  
The blue form eventually did manage to force itself out, the figure shooting upwards to the sky and creating a continuous beam for a few seconds as Kai continued to yell. The beam finally flickered and faded, and along with it, so did Kai's voice. He choked, and the yell diminished as he closed his mouth and eyes and went limp again. He fell to the ground when Rhea finally released him from her grasp.  
  
"What... just happened?" Samson questioned, truly petrified now.  
  
"Kai's soul was taken-the last one he had," explained Boris.  
  
Eva looked at the body on the floor. "Oh, that's right... Kai had multiple souls, didn't he?"  
  
"He just used up his last life line..." Anya added. She rose angrily from her kneeling position on the ground and stormed over to Samson, who cowered before her. "To save your stupid tail, you moron! You didn't even listen to him when he was shouting at you to stay away from Rhea! Did you listen? NO! He shouldn't have sacrificed himself for you! You weren't worth his agony if you can't even listen one measly time, Samson Langley!"  
  
"But Anya-" he protested. "You don't understand-you saw-he leapt in front of me-I didn't tell him to-"  
  
"So what? The fact is he did it, and look what happened to him!" She screamed as she pointed to the body lying in front of Rhea. "He saved and protected that many innocent that are in this world, and what have you done? Nothing, zip, nada! Is this your thanks?"  
  
Samson remained quiet, too afraid to speak.  
  
"Well? Answer me, Langley!"  
  
Samson lowered his head, and Anya saw him start to shake. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Kai... I'm sorry everyone... it was all my fault." He raised his head to yell at Anya. "There! I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry! I should be that soulless body on the ground, not Kai! Who am I? What am I to watch so intently and do nothing to the one that tried to save me and has!" Samson took his unbroken left hand and sank to the ground, covering his face with it. "I'm a terrible person, and I deserve this broken right hand! I deserve to die!"  
  
"That's right, Samson, you-" Anya started, but she was interrupted by Eva.  
  
"Don't fight! Look what we're doing to each other!" Eva cried, having rose to separate the two. "We're sweating the small things, which will only hurt us in the end and already is! We should be focusing on how to fight Rhea and Goadbwa!"  
  
"Eva's right, children," Boris agreed. "We must concentrate on the task at hand."  
  
Anya sneered at Samson before turning to Rhea. "Okay, then, missy! Come get me!" Anya pulled out her Beyblade and aimed it, ready to fire.  
  
Rhea held out the palm of her hand, and Anya stared at it quizzically. "What's that supposed to do?"  
  
A white form began to emerge from the palm of her hand. It was her Bit Beast, Moel. Moel's long, thin body snaked out and towards Anya, who lowered her launcher to step back in fear and disgust. Moel exerted its armoured head right into Anya's face. Anya stepped backward and tripped over a rock, making her vulnerable to an attack from the spirit, when suddenly, the eel retracted into Rhea's hand and Rhea drew away from Anya, a dazed look on her face.  
  
Anya looked up, and at her side stood Kieran, watching his Bit Beast Monray as it spiralled around him in the air before diving towards Rhea again.  
  
"Kieran! Why the change of heart?" Anya exclaimed, relieved. "Not that I'm complaining, but..."  
  
"If we are to defeat her, we must work together as a team," was his simple reply. He lowered his head to look at her and extended what was left of his arm to help her up.  
  
She stared at the darkened flesh and reddened bone, and thought better of it. "That's okay, I'll help myself up, thanks." Which was what she did. She made to fire her blade once she had got up, but Kieran advised against it.  
  
"No. It would be better for you to fight with your Bit Beast instead of commanding it. It makes for a stronger presence," he explained.  
  
"Okay, but how do I do that?" she asked, taking her blade from her launcher and putting the launcher away.  
  
"Believe, and Molphin will believe with you," Kieran said, closing his eyes.  
  
Anya glared at him for a moment before closing her eyes and concentrating. 'Come on, Molphin,' she thought to herself. 'We can do this...'  
  
Her stomach felt queasy for a moment, but then she opened her eyes to see her dolphin Bit Beast rise from the blade in her hand and join with Kieran's Monray in the air. Both Bit Beasts circled around each other and then dove down at Rhea. They both headed straight for Rhea's stomach, which they both penetrated at the same time. Rhea gave a small scream as they went through her stomach and came out her back, but she held out her palm and Moel shot out again, this time leaving her hand entirely and charging straight for the two spirits. Moel and Molphin split apart and then went straight for each other.  
  
"No! You guys are supposed to go for Rhea and Moel, not each other!" Anya exclaimed.  
  
"It's okay. They're merging," Kieran explained.  
  
Anya looked to him. "What's that mean?"  
  
"It means that they're becoming one, and shall therefore be stronger when they fight."  
  
Sure enough, in a flash of red and orange light, the two formed a figure that was a cross between a manta ray and a dolphin just as Moel charged at it. The eel was deflected back into Rhea's hand.  
  
Samson watched in fear as a spirit began to leave the Beyblade that Gilepse had been holding surreptitiously in his hand. The figure was green and appeared to be a woman. It soared slowly through the air towards the spirit that Molphin and Monray had formed, its hands outstretched as if ready to strangle the figure.  
  
"Samson! If you want to prove yourself worthy, then get Kai's soul back now while everyone is distracted," he heard a voice say from behind him. It was Eva, and she was kneeling behind him.  
  
"Right," he agreed. He dug into his pocket with his left hand and pulled out his purple Beyblade. He held it up to the clouded sky. "Moark, go forth into the heavens and retrieve the lost soul of Kai Daimyo Hiwatari!" he said with a firm determination.  
  
From the Bit Chip surfaced the green shark Bit Beast. It flew out and towards the sky, forming a continuous light for a few seconds. Eva and Samson watched the area where it had disappeared into the clouds for a minute or so while the battle raged on between the other four. Finally, the clouds swirled and parted to let through Moark with the streak of blue that was Kai's last soul. The Bit Beast flew down towards them and into Kai's body, depositing the soul before returning to the Bey in Samson's extended hand.  
  
Kai stirred and opened his eyes. He sat up slowly, Samson and Eva rushing over to see if he was okay. He groaned. "What happened?"  
  
Eva was about to reply when she was interrupted by a yell from both Kieran and Anya. They looked up to see their Bit Beast charge for Rhea again, but this time, Moel and Gilepse's Bit Beast zipped in front of her to protect her. Rhea was pushed back from the explosion that the deflection caused.  
  
Rhea was knocked backwards and into Gilepse, who had been standing at the edge of the cliff. Gilepse grabbed Rhea's wings to steady himself, but lost his balance, and as they weren't very strong, the wings were ripped apart from her body completely. Rhea screamed in pain and teetered at the edge of the cliff as black light shot from the two holes in her back. There were more screams, but they weren't from Rhea-they were from Crucis as the black light fled to the darkened sky.  
  
Gilepse held on tightly to the edge of the cliff, on the verge of falling. The wings in his hand disintegrated. "No! Crucis! You said your soul was ours! Traitor!"  
  
Boris leapt up from his position on the ground by himself. He ran to the edge of the cliff and towered over Gilepse. "Just like you were?"  
  
Gilepse looked up and noticed that Boris' foot was suspiciously close to his single hand. Gilepse glanced to the many spikes below him that were made of rock and then back up to Boris. "No, Balkov-you wouldn't!"  
  
Boris raised his foot to bring it down. "Oh, I wouldn't, wouldn't I?"  
  
Gilepse's eyes truly held the fear of death in them. He lowered his head. "I know this won't alter your decision at all, but I'm sorry."  
  
Boris continued to stare at the man and lowered his foot momentarily, a look of sympathy crossing his face. He could look at Gilepse's face clearly since he had lost his glasses in a previous struggle with the man.  
  
"Well, if it's any consolation, Galsky," he began. Gilepse looked up and straight into Boris' grey, sinister eyes. "The place where you're going is better than here."  
  
Gilepse gave a small smile as tears welled up in his eyes. "Tell my daughter about this."  
  
Boris nodded and returned the smile as he raised his foot once more. He brought it down forcefully, and Gilepse was forced to let go, but not before Gilepse swiped upwards to try and grab Boris' foot in one last vengeful act. But Gilepse missed and caught a hold of the nearby Rhea instead.  
  
Rhea was pulled off the edge of the cliff with Gilepse, but she managed to grab on the arm of Kieran, who had leapt forward in an effort to save her. In doing that, Samson had also jumped forward and caught hold of Kieran's other arm.  
  
"You!" exclaimed Boris. "You were going to go quietly, but you're begging for a loud way!"  
  
"There's no honour among thieves, Balkov. You'd better learn that!" Gilepse shouted back.  
  
"Hold on, Kieran, I'll pull you up!" Samson cried, struggling to hold the weight of the three of them.  
  
"Don't, Samson."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said don't. You'll only waste your breath. It would be better for Rhea and I to just leave this world in peace and take Gilepse with us."  
  
"But... But Kieran... Rhea! You can't-"  
  
"Yes, it's okay, Samson. Crucis does not plague me for the moment, but I can assure you she will return so long as I live. Let go of us," consoled Rhea.  
  
"I-I..." stuttered Samson. "What about Eva and Kai?"  
  
"You can take care of them, Samson," encouraged Kieran. "Besides, they are now old enough to take care of themselves."  
  
On hearing this, Kai got up and rushed over to the edge, Eva and Anya following suite. But before they reached, Samson lost his grip on Kieran's stump of an arm and the three plummeted to the rock spikes below. Kai and Eva reached the edge just in time to watch with Boris and Samson as the three split apart on the way down. "Goodbye!" all three shouted in unison just before Gilepse made contact with the point of a spike in the middle of the range.  
  
Blood spurted from him as he was pierced right through the stomach and killed instantly. Kieran met the point of a spike head-first and the spike appeared through the side of his head. As for Rhea, she was the lucky one and hit the ground face down, so that her expression was unreadable. Along with Crucis' soul where before went her navy blue hair, and so now all that was left with Rhea's body as a reminder of the possession were the gaping holes in her back. 


	23. Vitality's Extortion

If you've been following so far, you know that tragedy has just struck both the Hiwatari and Temagami families. Hang in there-we're almost done. But here's something to get you psyched- the sequel is in the making! Details and previews shall follow soon. Sorry about the slow progress lately, but with Christmas and everything, I've been busy-you'd think that with the holidays things would move faster...  
  
And a big thank you to the anonymous reviewers (finally, after much provocation, eh, shinigami?). Your input is always greatly appreciated. Thank you for the complements and yeah, I agree-Kai was perhaps a little too apathetic...  
  
Hang on, one warning about this chapter: you may want to get a box of tissues ready. I was crying as I wrote sections of it (mind you, I do get a little emotional, but anyway... You might, too). I also tend to act out the characters at times, too... I wonder if this is a common psychosis in a writer...?  
  
23. Vitality's Extortion  
  
"Oh, Rhea, you idiot!" Anya sobbed, breaking the eerie silence.  
  
Eva tore her eyes from the gory scene and buried her head in her hands. She began to shake as tears streamed from her eyes. She felt comforting hands on her shoulders, but she didn't know whom they belonged to. It didn't matter-he was dead. Or was he?  
  
There came a mad laughing from a voice unlike his own, and all of a sudden Kieran's body began to jerk and writhe violently within its place. This finally stopped when a red soul emerged from the hole in his head. Still laughing, the soul zigzagged up into the clouds, pausing on every other turn to let all hear its crazed laugh, but it was silenced when it met the clouds.  
  
"That must have been Toutalis..." Boris muttered.  
  
Kai continued to stare at the body of his sister, unable to believe what had just happened. He was all alone now-except for Voltaire-but for how long?  
  
***  
  
"Get up and fight me!" Spica ordered, grabbing Sarah's arm in an effort to make her stand up.  
  
Sarah kept her head down and didn't move from her sitting position.  
  
Spica jerked her again. "Come on! Resistance is futile!"  
  
"Just leave me alone..." Sarah muttered, barely audible.  
  
Spica knelt down beside her and let go of her arm violently. "Why? Because you're scared to fight me? That's it, isn't it?" she cried.  
  
"I don't want to fight. It only causes pain, and nothing positive comes from it."  
  
Spica hesitated, surprised by the answer. "Uh... Well... We're on opposing sides. We can't just be friends... We're supposed to fight like the enemies we are."  
  
"I'm not your enemy. I don't want to be your enemy. I don't want to be anyone's enemy." Sarah suddenly raised her head and looked Spica straight in the eye, startling her. "Don't you see what war has done to us?" She motioned towards the field on the other side of the pond where bodies lay strewn out across the grass-some dead, some dormant. "Look what hatred has done to you! What have you become since you were young and innocent? The only reason you still want to kill is because you have a lust for blood! I don't! I have seen death's face and one that was about to face it-let me tell you-it isn't pretty!"  
  
Spica didn't know what to say, but merely stared dumbfoundedly back at her. Sarah lowered her head to the ground again after a moment or two of eye contact. "I couldn't kill again. I don't know what I was thinking when I killed Kuiper," she mumbled again.  
  
Spica moved from her squatting position to crossing her legs, indicating that she wasn't about to move. She looked to the ground, too, as if pondering what to say. "Look, it's okay to be afraid. We all harbour hatred for something or other inside of us, some people make it more evident than others. I'm one of those people, but you're right-I wasn't when I was young. I was... quiet, shy... and pacifistic like you. I was only hardened when I saw my parents slaughtered before my eyes when I began training at Goadbwa, because the policy at Goadbwa was that if you trained there, your initiation was to watch death. They chose your parents or the closest relatives you had, as they would only be a 'distraction to your training' as Gilepse said. It was then, without them to guide me through, that I became this cold-hearted girl that I am now. Gilepse destroyed the three of us in a way."  
  
Sarah continued to stare at the ground, remaining silent.  
  
Spica moved her head forward, to try to see her face. "Am I getting through to you or are you blocking me out?"  
  
Sarah shifted her eyes away from Spica's direction and turned her head in the other direction. "Spica...This is unlike you."  
  
"Darn right it is. I'm not even this sentimental towards Telesto and Kuiper. Or rather, was." Her voice dropped, and her face all of a sudden became very sullen. "I think it's this new soul clone. Since Kai took my original soul at the battle of Lake Baikal, I haven't been exactly the same. The one that's speaking now is a clone of the original. Of course, they could've just got the original back, but no, they had to test out their new, stupid machine!"  
  
They both sat staring at different areas of the grass before Spica finally stood up and brushed the dirt from her uniform. She looked around the field and watched Telesto and Tala battling with their Beyblades and yelling insults at each other on the other side of the pond-they had moved there when their Beyblades took off towards the middle of the field.  
  
"Look at them," she scoffed. "Boys don't know how to work out their problems like girls do. Right, Sarah?"  
  
"Whatever," came the reply.  
  
Spica squatted down again. "Look, you don't have to kill anyone. Just let the two of us have a good fight to the last, that way you're technically not killing anyone. Just...tire me out and leave me to rot, okay?"  
  
"I might as well just execute you when you're down, then."  
  
"Heck! Why not?"  
  
Sarah remained silent and continued to stare angrily at the ground. Spica was near giving up.  
  
"Come on, Sarah. I've got one last death wish-just let the both of us battle. You don't have to kill me, I don't have to kill you-it's just a clean Beybattle," cajoled Spica.  
  
Sarah shifted her eyes uneasily and then sighed. "Fine."  
  
Spica smiled. "Good." She reached out and Sarah took hold of her hand. They pulled each other up like young childhood friends. Spica continued to smile at Sarah, but the amicability wasn't returned-only a blank, sad, stare.  
  
"Spica!"  
  
Spica whirled around at the sound of Marduk's voice. "What is it?"  
  
Marduk panted heavily, obviously exhausted from a sudden physical exertion. "It's... Gilepse!" he gasped urgently. "He's... He's been... It was Boris and Rhea!"  
  
"Spit it out!" Spica ordered, becoming angry once more.  
  
"Gilepse is... dea-!"  
  
"Watch out!" Spica interjected, but it was too late.  
  
Marduk's eyes rolled back into his head and he fell forward and into the pond in front of him. Tyson watched his handiwork go down before him before throwing the heavy, obsolete machine gun to one side. There was a dent in the barrel where it had made contact with Marduk's skull. He looked up to a shocked Spica and a reticent Sarah.  
  
"He was in my way-besides, he couldn't say his line right when it's as simple as Gilepse's dead," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.  
  
"What?!" gasped Spica. "How?"  
  
"To tell you the truth, I'm not quite sure. I heard something about Rhea going crazy and knocking him off a cliff or something like that, but there aren't any cliffs on this battlefield. It's a rolling plain with flat mountains, for goodness sake!"  
  
Spica whipped back to Sarah, who had the same dull expression on her face as before. "This is all your fault! I'll bet this was all a part of Biovolt's plan just to distract us so that they could get at Gilepse!"  
  
"You originally said yourself that I had disobeyed the battle plans, so how could I be distracting you deliberately?" Sarah replied curtly.  
  
Spica tried to counter, but couldn't, only managing to get out beginnings of words before she figured that they didn't make any sense. She turned again when she heard the explosion of a bombshell. Out in the field, Telesto had a bazooka mounted on his shoulder and was trying to fire at Tala and all the others on the battlefield. By now, most of the deploys had returned to their respective headquarters, yet there were still some left, and those were the ones that he was trying to pick off.  
  
"Look at that idiot! Firing like there's no tomorrow! Forgive me, Sarah, but he needs help," Spica exclaimed, hurrying off around the pond to pick up the other bazooka.  
  
"Looks like our help is needed. Come on!" Tyson said, fitting his Beyblade to his shooter and taking off to where the action was mounting in the middle of the field.  
  
"Mariah!"  
  
The pink-haired girl whipped her head to where the yell had come from. "What is it, Tyson?"  
  
"Watch out!" he yelled in reply as he launched his Beyblade at the bombshell heading for her.  
  
The blade made contact with the head of the shell and it exploded in mid-air. The shockwaves knocked Mariah off her feet and onto the ground a metre or two away.  
  
Tyson caught his Beyblade and rushed over to her. "You okay?"  
  
"I think so... Thanks, Tyson! Say, have you seen Kai?"  
  
"He was up on some cliff the last time I checked... Why?"  
  
Mariah appeared crestfallen. "Well, I just saw Tala and Sarah, and I was wondering what had happened to him. I've seen a lot happen on this field, and so I'm a little paranoid I guess. What about Ray?"  
  
"Nope. Sorry."  
  
Mariah sighed and sat up of her own free will. "Lee, Oliver, Robert, Max, and Bryan are some of the few left from Biovolt's side. Robert insisted that they go back with even the smallest of wounds and they took the soulless bodies with them. We don't have as many on the field, now, and we're being outnumbered by Goadbwa. What are we going to do, Tyson?"  
  
Tyson looked wistfully around the field, flinching when he saw a deploy disintegrate when one of Telesto's bombs strayed to them. "I don't know, Mariah." He made to sigh but winced from a sharp pain in his side.  
  
"Tyson! Are you okay? You should go back to Balkov Abbey if you're hurt!" Mariah exclaimed.  
  
"I'm fine," Tyson struggled as he held his side. He lifted his hand away and saw blood staining his glove. "Where'd that come from?"  
  
"This should be fine. Set me down here."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
The helicopter slowly lowered itself to the grass below, creating a whirlwind that distracted Spica from her firing. She turned around and managed to see it land through her long hair that obstructed her view. "A... It's a Biovolt helicopter. Be careful, Telesto, this could be an ambush from behind."  
  
Telesto stopped firing and turned just as the door lowered and a figure appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Look out!"  
  
Eva looked up just before she was tackled to the ground and out of the way of a missile. Bryan sat up, rubbing his head ruefully and pulling his arms away. He lifted his head and his eyes met hers. "Sorry about that. It's either you or the missile."  
  
Eva lowered her head to stare tearfully at the ground. "It's okay."  
  
Bryan looked at her expression, craning his neck to try to see her face. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"My brother..."  
  
"Your brother?"  
  
"Yeah, Kieran... He..." She burst into tears.  
  
Bryan put his hands out but stopped halfway in uncertainty. "Uh... That's okay... don't hurt yourself!"  
  
"It's Deneb!" exclaimed Telesto as the figure stepped into the light of the now evident moon. Everyone on the battlefield had barely noticed the change in time of day.  
  
Deneb stepped down the ramp and sauntered towards the two, his head down at first, but when he lifted it, he gasped. The two, taking it as a sign that they were showing disrespect, saluted and stood erectly. "Deneb, sir!" they chorused.  
  
"Yes, you two. That's quite alright," he said, coming to a halt in front of them. "Would one of you care to inform me of the current status of the battle? I have already heard of Kuiper and Gilepse."  
  
"That is all that has happened, sir," Telesto replied promptly. "But we shall be the first to inform you if anything else happens, sir-"  
  
"That is, if we're capable of doing so," Spica added.  
  
Deneb eyed them condescendingly for a moment before turning to walk away. "I've also heard that the Hilanovs, especially Kai, are in a bit of a predicament at the moment. Get them now while they're vulnerable," he advised, walking away to the side of the field.  
  
At the edge of the field, probably some thirty metres away, they noticed him pull out what seemed to be a walkie-talkie and begin to speak into it.  
  
"I don't get it," Telesto said, causing Spica to turn her attention to him. "Unless they commandeered the helicopter, why does it belong to Biovolt?"  
  
Spica glared at him and then turned back to the chopper. She narrowed her eyes as she glowered at Deneb. "I have my suspicions..."  
  
"Get them back to the Abbey!" Boris ordered, while keeping an arm to his bleeding shoulder.  
  
"Are you sure you're going to be okay, Uncle?"  
  
Boris turned to see Samson looking worriedly up at him. "I won't die now, at least. What about you? You should also get back to the Abbey."  
  
"Don't worry about me. Anya and I have got some unfinished business to take care of," he answered, looking ahead at where a procession of deploys was heading away from the field.  
  
"Alright. Just don't go biting off more than you can chew. Take that advice, Samson, from one who learned it the hard way," Boris growled, limping off to follow the others. Among the deploys were Tyson, Bryan, Ray, Mariah, and Eva-who was still crying but being comforted by Ray.  
  
"We'll come back with the battle's over and we'll bring Kieran and Rhea with us!" Samson called after them.  
  
"You ready, Sammy?"  
  
Samson whipped around to where Anya had come up behind him. She was also limping. He turned to face her fully. "You're absolutely sure about this, right? I wouldn't mind if you went back with them."  
  
Anya waved her hand dismissively and smiled. "I'm fine. Besides, you can't hold yourself out and you expect to protect the Hilanovs, too?"  
  
"Yeah!" Samson was about to continue when he hesitated and looked over Anya's shoulder. "Oh..."  
  
Anya turned to see Rhea, walking proudly towards them. "What?" she gasped. "Is it just me or is she back from the dead?"  
  
"Come on, let's listen to Deneb and start firing," Telesto offered. "For Kuiper."  
  
"Right," Spica agreed, turning around and her eyes widening. "Telesto!"  
  
"Wha-"  
  
He was cut short by a tackle to the ground. The bazooka was thrown into the air and hit the ground with a thud as Telesto tried to recover from the shock of the fall, had Tala not been throwing a succession of punches and blows to his face.  
  
Spica threw down her bazooka and pulled out her handgun. She fiddled with loading it quickly and aimed at Tala. She fired a shot and missed, so she fired again and again, but kept missing. She then grazed the reddish- pink body armour at his waist, causing the area to fracture and his skin to lacerate. A blue wire appeared-it was severed in half and sparked with electricity.  
  
Spica was about to fire again when she heard footsteps step to a halt to her right.  
  
"Put the gun down. This is their fight." Sarah held her gun out, ready to shoot if Spica didn't surrender.  
  
"I can hardly put my gun down unless you do-how do I know you're not going to shoot me? Besides, I thought you didn't want to kill anyone anymore," Spica taunted, smirking.  
  
"Fine. Count of three, we both lower them," answered Sarah. "One, two, three..."  
  
They both put the guns away, but no sooner was it back in Spica's belt than she snatched her bazooka and fired at Sarah's head. Sarah ducked, and the projectile landed behind her and set the dry grass alight. There was an explosion that thrust Sarah forward and onto the ground.  
  
Spica pulled back from the blaze uneasily. "Shoot..."  
  
The fire consumed the grass quickly and advanced on Sarah, who was beginning to sit up groggily, still shaken from the blast. She looked up at the terrified Spica and then turned to look behind her with a scream. Tala looked up from his fistfight with Telesto and hastened to get up.  
  
Spica lowered her head and shook horrifying images from her head. "They're just two more victims... My enemies whom will kill me if I don't kill them first..." she muttered to herself as she fired a blind shot with the bazooka.  
  
Tala jumped and evaded the explosion just in time and collided with Sarah on the ground. They both rolled out of the way of the fire that had been right at her back. With another shot from Spica, Tala rolled them out of the way three more times before dragging Sarah upward and lifting her up in his arms. He ran to the closest edge of the field near the exit near the pond. He flopped down beside her and sighed.  
  
"Man, watching out for you on a battlefield is a full-time job. Can I trust you to take care of yourself for now?"  
  
Sarah nodded distantly, staring in amazement at the ground at the quickness of the past events. Taking it as sufficient, Tala stood up and made to run back to Spica and Telesto but his knees buckled as he felt a sharp pain in his side. He dropped to the ground and clenched his fists to suppress the agony.  
  
"Tala?"  
  
"I'm fine. I just..." He screwed his eyes shut. His head felt funny, dizzy, and everything became blurry. The sound of the fire and Sarah's frustrated cries became muffled and distant. The words "system overload" flashed across his eyelids.  
  
***  
  
"A connection wire has given out! He's going to short-circuit again!" exclaimed Leon.  
  
Lutka rushed over to look at the sensors. "Try to get through to him. We don't have any direct contacts, but try to take manual control of the system!"  
  
Leon typed something into the keyboard. The monitor flashed "access denied." He tried again, and received the same result. A couple more tries were unsuccessful. "I can't get through, and only Boris knows the password! In fifteen seconds, the system will either shut down or take over!"  
  
"What do you mean by shut down?" Lutka interrogated.  
  
"I mean total dysfunction, absolute and eternal. Tala won't be coming back from that battlefield. If it takes over, he'll be controlled by the system. At that point, everything's his enemy and he'll be very volatile and exceedingly dangerous. He'll be compelled to seek and destroy."  
  
"You've no idea of what will happen?" cried Lutka.  
  
"We'll know in five...four...three...two...one..."  
  
***  
  
"Tala!"  
  
His body froze in quivering and he dropped flat on the ground. "Tala!" she yelled again. Telesto and Spica seemed just as surprised as her as they stared at the body. "Tala!"  
  
There was dead silence from him.  
  
***  
  
"What happened?" ordered Lutka.  
  
Leon stared in horror at the screen, unable to believe and unanswering.  
  
"Well? Tell me!"  
  
"Lutka... I-I'm...sorry... It looks like...like ultimate shut down..." he stammered, his fingers quavering over the keyboard as he stared at the screen unblinkingly.  
  
***  
  
"Is he dead?" asked Telesto, just as stunned as the other two.  
  
Telesto moved forward slowly and knelt down beside the prone figure. He reached out shakily and touched the top of Tala's head. He tapped it once, and when nothing happened, he settled down and tapped three more times. He looked to Sarah. "Nothing. So sorry, dear Sa-"  
  
***  
  
"It was just a preliminary reaction. He's alive!"  
  
"He's alright!" Lutka cried, throwing her arms around Leon and squeezing him tightly.  
  
"Don't rejoice yet, ma'am. He might destroy himself in this frenzied state. He becomes oblivious to all pain and signs of possible destruction of the system."  
  
***  
  
Telesto jumped back just as Tala's hand shot forward into mid-air. Telesto hurried back to Spica, who also pulled away in horror and almost backing into the flames.  
  
Tala got up slowly, swaying slightly when he stood at full height. He stood facing what remained of Vitality Extortion, staring at them with a dull expression. Spica and Telesto turned to see that the fire had cornered them between Tala and itself-there was no way out and their bazookas were on the other side of the wall.  
  
Spica drew her handgun and aimed to shoot. "If you so much as take one step closer, one shot and you'll be dead, Tala!"  
  
Telesto pulled out his gun, too, and they both aimed. Tala took a step closer and Telesto fired, the bullet sinking right into Tala's right thigh. Tala paused and swayed ominously on the spot as two wires sparked from a nearby wound.  
  
"He didn't so much as flinch!" cried Telesto. "It's like he's not even human anymore!"  
  
"You're so observant, Telesto," Spica growled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "He's not going to fall prey that easily."  
  
They watched as Tala brought his other foot forward to be at level with the other. He swayed warily again and reached behind him and into his belt. It was Spica's turn to fire a shot, which she did, aiming straight for his right eye. Instead, the bullet missed its target and grazed his cheek.  
  
Tala brought his hand back around to the front, undaunted by both shots. Spica and Telesto were too scared to fire anymore when the gun appeared in Tala's hand. He fired two rapid shots that flew straight ahead. The first caught Telesto in the chest where his armour would have once protected him, the other through his left eye, where his eyepiece had once been.  
  
Unlike the last time when Tala made a fatal blow, Telesto threw his head back from the shock and fell on his back on the ground at Spica's side. Both of the girls stared in horror at the bloodied body lying on the ground. His right eye was closed peacefully, whereas his other eye was blown out completely. Spica sank to the ground, unable to take her eyes off him.  
  
"T-Telesto? Telesto?" Her eyes watered and she shook as the tears poured down her cheeks. "Telesto!" she cried weakly as she threw herself down on his chest. "No!"  
  
Sarah leapt up and grabbed Tala's arm to pull him back. "Tala! Stop! I don't know what's happened to you, but that was too far! Tala!"  
  
"You!" Spica screamed. She gasped as she felt a vibration at her side and pulled her Beyblade out of her pocket. Revenost shot out of its bit chip and penetrated Tala's chest. It exited his body through his back and went straight up into the sky, red appearing in its purple form. It shot back down a couple of seconds later and returned to Spica's blade as Tala's eyes closed and he fell backward and into Sarah's arms.  
  
Sarah watched in astonishment as he lay there, and then she glanced up at Spica who had fallen over her dead partner once more. "I don't think I'll blame you for that... I don't know what got into him..." she said, hugging his body to her head.  
  
"He deserved it... And... and so do you," Spica sobbed, her voice muffled by Telesto's bloodied chest. "I'm only one, but I'll kill you... I'll kill the three of you-all by myself!"  
  
Spica raised her head as she felt it getting wet. She and Sarah looked around the field to see the fiery grass sizzling at the sound of being extinguished by the rain that was getting heavier by the second. Spica saw Kuiper's body emerge from the flames, still lying on the ground in two pieces just as she had left it, though slightly burnt. She stood up determinedly and wiped her face with her purple glove.  
  
"Come on, let's finish this," she said calmly, stepping over Telesto and nearer the pond.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"We don't want to harm them should our battle get violent, right?" Spica asked nonchalantly and fitting her Beyblade to her launcher.  
  
Sarah glanced down at Tala wistfully before laying him carefully down on the ground and getting up to catch up with Spica. Spica had set herself up right beside the pond and stood patiently ready to launch as Sarah readied her blade.  
  
Sarah held her arms out with her launcher in them and bent her knees, ready to shoot, but her worried and apathetic look didn't make her appear completely ready. "Listen, Spica-I just want to say that I was never a big fan of war. I wasn't brought up in the same type of environment that Telesto, Kuiper, Tala, Kai, and you have."  
  
"What are you getting at? That I should go easy on you?"  
  
"No. I'm just saying that that's my explanation for my cowardly behaviour towards this all, compared to the rest of you, that is..."  
  
Spica simpered. "You're so modest. But ruthless warriors aren't known for their sympathy. 3, 2, 1, let it rip!"  
  
Both of them fired their Beyblades at the same time, and they collided in mid-air before sliding past each other and hitting the ground. Spica wasted no time on pleasantries.  
  
"Take her down, Revenost!"  
  
Right on command, the purple spirit rose out of the bit chip and charged straight at Sarah. Sarah gave a small, startled shriek as it came closer and covered her head with her arms. She felt something graze either side of her head and when the sensation passed overhead, her hair suddenly fell loose from the pigtails and buns. A strong gust of wind seemed to blow from the battle for a couple of moments, tossing her hair about as it was no longer tied neatly. When the wind stopped, she removed her hands and looked up.  
  
Spica scowled and raised her head to eye Sarah condescendingly. "Why'd Revenost miss? She had a clear shot at your soul."  
  
Sarah glanced around, quite surprised herself. Her gaze fell on their Beyblades, and Fovular was still spinning strong. "Go, Fovular! Knock out her blade!"  
  
The Beyblade spun forward. Revenost made to dodge the blow, but clashed with Fovular. Sarah tore her eyes from the battle on hearing a yell of agony. Spica had her eyes screwed shut and her fists and teeth clenched as if to suppress pain.  
  
"That's it..." Sarah whispered to herself. "Fovular, keep attacking!"  
  
The purple blade attacked the black one relentlessly, over and over again, with each hit gaining a cry from Spica, who had sunk to the ground by the time Fovular pulled away. Sarah struggled to urge herself on in this life or death battle. It hurt herself just to watch Spica, or anyone for that matter in so much unbearable pain. She shut her eyes and gave the command.  
  
"Fovular, steal her soul!"  
  
The yellow fox emanated in a jet of light from the Bey and headed for the girl lying helpless on the ground. Spica, just as Sarah had, felt a rush of air over her head and her hair suddenly came loose with the snapping sound of an elastic. She took her hands away from her head and saw Sarah staring in amazement at her. Spica held her hands out in front of her face and looked at them-she was still alive and in this realm. She stood up, feeling her long navy hair trail down her back as she stared back at her opponent.  
  
"Well... it seems that we're invincible to each other," Sarah said, folding her arms huffily.  
  
"Yeah..." Spica said dreamily with a lethargic nod.  
  
Sarah unfolded her arms and made an offensive stance. "It's a Beybattle to the death, then, isn't it?"  
  
Spica stared into space for a moment or two before coming to her senses and making the same stance. "You got it! Go, Revenost!"  
  
"Don't let her take advantage! Go, Fovular!"  
  
Both Bit Beasts rose from their blades at the same time and barrelled for each other in the middle. The two spirits slipped past each other and headed for the opposing blader. Both girls drew back from each other's Bit Beast, but felt the spirit enter their body through their chest. Neither beast exited.  
  
"What's going on?" Spica cried in horror.  
  
"It's okay..." came a low, female voice that echoed within her head.  
  
"You must fight as one with your Bit Beast," sounded the higher voice within Sarah's.  
  
"We are here to show you just how weakly you two have been fighting," said Spica's voice.  
  
Both Sarah and Spica's blades spun to a stop beside each other, looking peaceful nestled among the grass as the pouring rain began to drench them. Spica and Sarah both glanced up and into each other's eyes. Suddenly, Sarah felt a lurch in her stomach and she rapidly drew her dagger, but not of her own free will. Her legs ran her towards Spica and her arm raised with the dagger, bringing it down in Spica's chest, but the spirit made Spica move out of the way and pull out her gun.  
  
Spica fired a shot, but Sarah ducked out of the way and aimed the dagger for Spica's throat again. Spica this time used the barrel of the gun to block the hit and knocked the dagger out of Sarah's hand. Both pulled away from each other and felt the spirits finally exit their bodies to return to their dead blades lying in the grass. They stood glaring at one another, panting.  
  
"That was... only a couple of seconds..." Spica began.  
  
"And already we're tired. But I've never felt such a sensation of power..."  
  
Spica took one last breath. "Hey, you're right," she sneered, raising the gun that was still in her hand. She fired a single shot at Sarah's head, but it flew right over and the bullet landed in the pond.  
  
"Y-You still don't want to kill me, do you?" Sarah questioned, the fear building inside of her again.  
  
"You bet," Spica relished with a smirk as she fired another shot and missed again. Spica leant to one side with a dreamy look on her face but straightened herself by moving her foot to stable herself. She staggered back and forth like this for a while, Sarah watching and unaware of what was going on.  
  
"Spica? Are you alright? You look immensely drunk or something..."  
  
Spica finally stopped and fell to the ground, slightly shaken and staring blankly ahead. She blinked slowly and then lowered her head to the ground to see their blades resting by her knees. She picked them up-one in either hand and examined them closely. She raised her head to see Sarah standing warily a metre or so away from her. Spica extended her hand that had Fovular. "I don't know what I just said... It was a lingering controlling sense. Here."  
  
Sarah eyed her gloveless hand for a moment before focusing on Spica's brown eyes. They didn't seem to convey hatred or anger any more, but those orbs had deceived before. Nevertheless, Sarah reached out and took the blade from her. "Thank you."  
  
"You know..." Spica said with a smile crossing her lips as she made to get up from her position in the grass, "I don't really want to hurt you. And... it's brought me a weird-whoa!"  
  
Sarah reached out her arm to help her up, as Spica had lost her balance from unsteady legs. Spica simpered even more and took her hand, staring into the eyes of the now-sober Sarah. Spica hoisted herself up and stood at full height before Sarah, who was about the same height, if not a little taller.  
  
"Anyway, as I was saying," Spica continued, "it's brought me a weird feeling-compassion I believe it is." She looked to the ground, becoming very sullen once more. "And... I don't like it because it feels uncomfortable. I've never felt this way before except when Kuiper, Telesto, and I had to kill and take the soul of Hans. I had compassion for him, unlike any of my other victims." She met with Sarah's narrowed glare again. "Except for you-you were the one that brought this feeling out in me and showed me that it was the way all people should live. But I only realized that when my partners were killed. Now they're gone, and I've learnt too late anything that I could have done to prolong their existence..."  
  
"My, that's a long speech," Sarah jested. "Should we call it 'The Compassionate Address'?"  
  
"How can you joke at a time like this?" Spica yelled, suddenly getting defensive. "There's so much death, yet you laugh like-"  
  
"It's just funny to see how much this battle has changed us, that's all."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Take you for example. You were one of the most cold-hearted people I'd ever met-until now, that is, when you saw the deaths of those close to you and all at a single time. Now, you pour your heart out to me as if I was your closest friend or sister," explained Sarah.  
  
"But don't you see? You are my friend-now anyway."  
  
Sarah smiled. "The Spica I know doesn't have friends, only acquaintances," she scoffed.  
  
Spica glanced around nervously, thinking of what to say. "Well, that was the old Spica. And the point of this whole conversation is that I don't want to hurt you anymore-I don't want to kill you. In fact, if I get out of here alive, I'm not going to harm another soul for as long as I live."  
  
Sarah looked away, out of her moist eyes and to where the bodies of Telesto, Tala, and Kuiper were lying near the middle of the field. "Come on, why don't we bring them over here that way they're in one spot." She turned to walk away but was pulled back by a violent tug on her arm.  
  
"You're not listening to a word I'm saying!" Spica cried.  
  
"Why should I? We're enemies, and enemies are supposed to fight, remember?"  
  
Spica let go of Sarah's arm and Sarah strode towards the bodies of the three. Sarah knelt down beside Kuiper, the one that had been closest to them. She covered her nose and stood up as Spica hurried over.  
  
"Who'll take the head?" Sarah asked rhetorically.  
  
Spica noticed the repugnant look on Sarah's face and picked it up, taking it over to where they had been by the pond before. Sarah bent down and took the body in her arms, cringing at having to look above the chest and the unusual weight balance. She set it down accordingly to where Spica had placed his head.  
  
Spica then returned for Telesto, whom she tried to lift herself, but couldn't. Sarah hurried over and they placed him beside Kuiper before coming back for Tala. Once Tala had been set down peacefully, they both stood back to survey their work. Spica placed her hands akimbo and cocked her head to one side, giving a long, exhausted sigh.  
  
"They're gone."  
  
She turned her head when she heard Sarah sobbing as she stared at the three boys.  
  
"What is it?" Spica inquired.  
  
Sarah looked to her shakily, tears streaming from her green eyes. "Spica... I...I'm trying to be strong, but I can't... It's all falling apart! I can't pretend that staring at these dead bodies doesn't phase me when it does!"  
  
"Firstly, Tala isn't dead, just dormant, and you can turn away. I'm not making you stare at them," Spica reasoned.  
  
Sarah threw her hands to her face. "Spica, I'm scared...scared of what lies beyond this existence... Seeing scenes like this makes me think, and I wonder what's there... Somehow I want to know, but I know I can't come back!"  
  
"Of course you can't. It's impossible to know what's there in the afterlife." She raised her head to the dark sky, rain drops now subsiding though the sky was still grey. "I have a feeling the question of 'what's there?' will baffle mankind until they're vanquished from this earth."  
  
"I'm still scared... There can't be nothing... We live, we breathe, we drink, we eat-our minds become practically physical-physical matter. They can't just disappear, can they? That would be like something or someone becoming simultaneously invisible...permanently invisible..." she continued, lifting her hands from her face warily.  
  
Spica lowered her gaze to Sarah's eyes, but she was staring at the bodies again. Her talk was confusing, but did seem to make sense.  
  
Sarah kept her hands hovering over her mouth. "That would mean that Telesto and Kuiper are invisible... Their souls are invisible if there is indeed nothing... But if there is an afterlife to pursue, then where is it? Where did their souls go? What about reincarnation? They just died, but another person was just born. Which one of those babies did they inhabit? Are their lives as they just were now figments of the child's imagination?" She suddenly whirled around to Spica and took her hands away completely. "What do you think Spica?" she interrogated in frustration.  
  
Spica drew back in confusion at having the question thrust so quickly upon her. "Uh... I... I don't know... I have no theories... I don't really have the time to think about this sort of thing..."  
  
Sarah advanced forward in desperation, but Spica drew away nervously. "You have to think something! Even if you just thought of it now! They're your dead teammates, Spica! You've known them since you were a child!"  
  
Spica continued to glare in uncertainty into her green eyes, as if searching for an answer, but all she saw was pleading for an answer. "I can't think..."  
  
Sarah stared at her for a moment longer before pulling away violently, tears streaming from her eyes. She shook her head and said something, but Spica couldn't make it out. She didn't know how to react. 'Who would've thought you could get so worked up over a subject like this?' she thought to herself.  
  
"Spica, I'm just... so scared... Out here on the battlefield, it feels like every second is my last. That's certainly what happened to Telesto and Kuiper. They were alive one second, and in one quick movement they're gone! Kuiper was winning his fight, too!"  
  
Spica stepped forward with apprehension. "That's the way life is. We can't live it and dispose of it when we want to..."  
  
Sarah took her hands away again and stared at the ground at realization. She looked up to Spica, her eyes beginning to dry. "Spica..."  
  
Spica gasped and pulled away slightly in shock when Sarah threw her arms around her. "Hey! Let-!" she exclaimed. Sarah only tightened her grip. Spica rolled her eyes and sighed, reaching out her arms and hugging her back. "It's okay... A young teen like you shouldn't be thinking such thoughts... What has corrupted your mind?"  
  
"War... It destroys us all," Sarah sobbed into her shoulder.  
  
Spica looked at her with sympathetic and worried eyes before raising her gaze straight ahead absently. "Right..." she choked.  
  
"Are we going to finish this war, or what?" Rhea asked the two, still clearly dumbfounded. She hadn't a limp or life threatening wound, except maybe the two in her back. Other than those and a few scratches and bruises, she was perfectly alright.  
  
"Rhea-you're alive!" Samson exclaimed. "But-you died!"  
  
Rhea held her hands out in front of her and examined them. "Clearly I'm not."  
  
Anya whipped around fully and pointed at the gap in the mountains from where someone was emerging. They staggered along the side of the mountain, using the rocky wall for support. On rounding the corner to enter the field, they lifted their head agonizingly and saw the scene that was taking place near the pond. "Isn't that Kai?" she questioned rhetorically.  
  
Samson craned his neck to get a better look. "Yeah, but what's he looking at?"  
  
The three turned to the two figures standing before three others near the pond.  
  
"That's Spica and my sister..." Samson trailed off. "They're hugging..."  
  
"But they're enemies! What's with the pleasantries?" Anya protested.  
  
"Whatever the reason, it looks like Kai is taking care of it," Rhea said, and they looked back to him.  
  
With minimal strength, he reached behind him and into his belt, bringing out his gun and aiming for Spica and Sarah. He tried aiming it, but figured it was too far to hit accurately, so he staggered closer along the cover of the mountains.  
  
"We should stop him," Samson reasoned. "I have a feeling that they're not locked in mortal combat if they're comforting each other..."  
  
Anya made to move forward. "Thanks, Dr. Obvious, come on, before we kill another person!"  
  
She was stopped by the grip of a strong hand on her shoulder. Rhea glared at her. "Spica's getting what she deserves."  
  
Anya whipped around angrily. "So just because she's been on the opposing side until now, she's evil and deserves an execution? You betrayed us, why aren't you dead, or should I kill you now?"  
  
"I was being controlled."  
  
"Yeah, but you could have fought it!"  
  
"She did, Anya! And Spica's about to join the rest of her team!" Samson yelled.  
  
Kai aimed, and fired.  
  
Spica yelped in pain and drew away from Sarah, who was also jolted from the tranquillity. She drew away as Spica staggered back and forth, holding her hand to where the bullet had grazed her arm. She turned around shakily to see Kai emerge from a recess in the mountains. He held out the gun, ready to fire as she scowled back at him.  
  
"I hope you know I wasn't trying to kill her with a death grip!" Spica quipped.  
  
"You can't be too careful these days," he countered, not faltering.  
  
"Kai!" Sarah cried. "Don't hurt her!"  
  
Spica staggered backwards and towards the pond as Kai began to move forward towards them, gun held out. "She's our enemy, I don't see why you fell under the misconception that you could be friends. You, of all people..."  
  
"She's just like us, Kai! She's following orders from the one that was truly evil-Gilepse, not herself!"  
  
Kai was now only a few feet away, but kept advancing. He fired another shot and hit her just above her previous wound, earning another cry in agony. "If she's not truly evil, then answer me why she followed Goadbwa in the first place."  
  
Kai stopped when he stood just beside Sarah. Spica had tripped and fallen to the ground before the pond, bleeding and crying.  
  
"Stop it, Kai! I mean it! She's changed for the better!"  
  
Kai aimed again, but Sarah hurried forward and stepped in front of Spica. "If you're going to kill her, you have to kill me first!"  
  
Kai lowered his arm slightly. "Why are you so persistent to protect her?"  
  
"Because. She's my friend, stupid as I am!"  
  
"Move out of the way-I don't want to have to hurt you," Kai ordered.  
  
"You can't order me around, Kai! I'm not your playtoy!" countered Sarah.  
  
Kai hesitated and then lowered his gun to his side. He advanced forward toward Sarah and stopped when he stood a few feet away from her, within arm's length. "You're right. You're nobody's playtoy-you make yourself their punching bag!"  
  
He raised his right hand and brought it forward in one rapid movement, slapping her hard across the cheek so that she fell to ground. He then moved onto Spica, who had her eyes on Sarah. She watched as Sarah stumbled to her feet and over to Kai, grabbing his right arm-the one with the gun.  
  
"No, Kai!" she cried, her head down and tears streaming down her reddened cheek. "This isn't you... This ruthlessness happened to Tala just before he lost his soul..."  
  
Kai was about to jab her with his elbow when Spica took out her Beyblade and held the Bit facing Sarah. "Get out of the way!" she yelled at first, but just to confuse Kai, she added something else. "Just shut up, you spoiled brat!"  
  
Sarah looked up to see the uncertainty in her brown eyes, the worry, yet knowing that it would be better to just let Kai do his thing. Spica gave her a small smile. "I'll be okay," she mouthed. Sarah saw the purple spirit of Revenost appear from Spica's Bit Chip and zoom at her. She felt a sharp pain in her chest, dizziness, and then nothing.  
  
Kai felt the grip on his arm loosen and watched as she fell to the ground with a thump. He then turned back to Spica without another thought. She scowled back up at him, trying to hold back tears, but they filled her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. 'It was for her own good, as is this for mine,' she told herself.  
  
When Kai didn't move, she stood up and put her Beyblade back in her pocket. "If... I may just say something, Kai..." she said calmly in between sobs and sniffles.  
  
Kai narrowed his eyes and lowered his arm. "Speak, Hyakutake."  
  
Spica took a deep breath in. "It was a pleasure knowing you, Tala, and Sarah. You three, along with the rest of Biovolt made a formidable opponent, as Gilepse has said on many occasions."  
  
When Spica paused, Kai placed his hands akimbo, slightly in impatience. "And your point is...?"  
  
Spica lowered her head, but continued to glare at him. "Before I join my teammates and leader, I'd just like to give you a little advice. I have my suspicions about a spy that's been working for both companies-Goadbwa and Biovolt. My advice is that you keep your wits about him, too. I've heard this man has double-crossed you before, and I'm sure he'll do it again."  
  
Kai put his gun back in his belt. "Who is this traitorous man you speak of, then?"  
  
Spica smiled. "I can't tell you that. We're enemies, remember?" She took a deep breath in and then sighed, the smile still on her face along with the tears. "I suppose you'll allow me to join Telesto and Kuiper, now?"  
  
Kai returned the smile. "You're anxious to go, aren't you?"  
  
"The faster I make it across the astral plane, the faster I can come back to haunt you," she jested. "But, I would ask that you lay me beside my teammates."  
  
"Promise." Kai's face suddenly became a scowl again as he lunged at her, tackling her into the water.  
  
They sank closer to the bottom, his hands gripped around her neck and squeezing relentlessly. She struggled against his grasp, but made no attempts to hurt him. He narrowed his eyes in determination to hold his breath, when finally her thrashing about slowed. She screwed her eyes shut and arched her back, her whole body becoming tense for a few seconds before relaxing into a limp form. Kai kicked off the bottom of the pond and floated to the surface, Spica in his free arm.  
  
He broke the surface and took in a deep breath, opening his eyes to see Rhea and Anya crowded at the edge of the pond. He took a deep breath and swam towards them, Spica still tucked under his arm. He reached the edge and gasped for breath, raising Spica's body and managing to say, "Place her beside them..."  
  
Anya took her from his arms and set her down between Telesto and Kuiper before standing back to look at the three. Her eyes watered quickly and she choked as she spoke. "There they are-a trio." 


	24. Win Some, Lose A Lot

23. Win Some, Lose A Lot  
  
Rhea pulled Kai from the water. Kai flopped on the ground, propping himself up with only his arms as he panted heavily and fought back his emotions. Rhea watched him silently, glancing upward to Anya surveying the bodies of Tala and Vitality Extortion and then to Samson who was observing the comatose Sarah.  
  
Samson raised his head, looking out across the grey field, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Look at all of this. I never want to fight again as long as I live..."  
  
"It is sad," Rhea agreed, looking down again on hearing Kai cough and sit down.  
  
"The...the look on her face...It's going to remain on my mind for a long time..." he panted.  
  
Anya turned around, hands akimbo and a grim expression. "The look on whose face?"  
  
Kai leant forward and buried his face in his arms. "Spica... I should've listened to Sarah... Maybe Spica wasn't truly evil after all...None of Vitality Extortion was..."  
  
There was silence until Samson stood up. "I'm going to get Kieran," he said before hurrying away.  
  
Once Samson had disappeared from sight behind the mountainous rocks, Anya spoke again. "At least it's all over, and we're all still alive. Tala and Sarah will be easy to bring out of dormancy."  
  
"Don't get too cocky. The war between good and evil is never over," Rhea countered.  
  
"Rhea's right," Kai added, raising his head to the sky. "Before she died, Spica told me that there was a man that was working for both companies, acting as a spy for each one, but she wasn't sure which one he was ultimately loyal to."  
  
"That's scary... Is this person still alive?" Anya interrogated.  
  
"She didn't say. Fact is, I'm not sure she quite knew who it was, either. All she said was that it was someone that had betrayed me before, and he'd probably do it again."  
  
"Could it be Boris?"  
  
The three turned, seeing that Samson had returned, Kieran's body lying draped over his arms. A trail of blood from Kieran's head showed the path that Samson had walked. He set Kieran gently down on the ground and stood up at full height, staring back at them expectantly for an answer.  
  
Kai lowered his gaze to think for a moment, but then met with Samson's eyes again. "I don't think so. We're not very fond of each other, but he's never really betrayed or used me. It would have to be someone more like-"  
  
"Me?"  
  
They turned back to the rest of the field, where the senile voice had come from. There stood a man with long, grey hair, a long brown trenchcoat and black boots. He had a rifle in his hands, and though not aiming, he could have easily fired.  
  
The gasp was unanimous, "Voltaire!"  
  
"So it was you that was betraying information about Biovolt to Goadbwa!" Anya exclaimed.  
  
Even Rhea was on the offensive. "He's betrayed us before, Kai! Spica was right!"  
  
Kai was too busy to add, feeling a sharp pain in his right arm where his last soul had been drawn from.  
  
"That' right, Rhea, Kai... While Biovolt knows me as Voltaire, Goadbwa knows me as Deneb, and I've been conveying information this whole time. No one ever even took a single notice of my espionage," Voltaire explained, a smile creeping across his features. "But now, as the Hilanovs have destroyed the company that was more productive, I'm must destroy them."  
  
Kai scowled back at his grandfather in agony, barely able to keep from yelling out and lunging an attack if it would suppress the pain.  
  
Voltaire took the rifle in his arms, loaded it, and aimed for Tala. "One shot and that dormancy becomes death..."  
  
"No!" Samson and Anya both cried as each jumped in front of their younger sibling defensively.  
  
"I won't let you hurt my brother!" Anya protested. "He's much more of a help to this world than you'll ever be, Voltaire you double-crossing, impure scum!"  
  
"Such hurtful words from a young lady. They just make my blood boil. But, I hate to admit she's right. I surrender, and I see that you care deeply for your brother and sister. Therefore, I shall let you live out your lives in peace." Voltaire closed his eyes, lowered the rifle and nodded his head towards them respectfully. He turned on the ball of his foot and began to walk away briskly.  
  
Anya and Samson glared with determined faces as he moved away across the field, and when they felt he was true to his word and at a safe distance, they moved from their positions to tend to Kai along with Rhea. The three crowded around him. Kai clenched his teeth for a while as they fired questions at him, but they all became meaningless and muted as the pain subsided and he raised his head in an instant to see Voltaire in the middle of the field. The man stopped, but none of the others noticed. The man turned his head slightly, Kai saw, and in one quick movement, Voltaire whipped around and hurtled back towards them as fast as his elderly legs would carry him, raising the gun.  
  
"Watch out!" Kai yelled, leaping up from his sitting position on the ground among the three and thrusting at Voltaire.  
  
Just as Voltaire aimed a shot for Tala, Kai knocked his arm and the bullet went in an unintended direction. Samson and Rhea watched in horror as Anya threw her head back and fell to the ground, flat on her back and with some of her hair trailing into the water of the pond.  
  
"Anya!"  
  
Voltaire and Kai both got up from their positions on the ground, Voltaire first realizing what had happened. "Look what you did, boy! You made me hit someone I had no intention of hitting and I wasted a bullet!"  
  
"You betrayed and used me as your tool at Biovolt when I was young and naïve. And as I did then, I dishonoured you. What makes you think I'll just roll over and allow you to take control of me now, Voltaire?" Kai asked as he pushed himself up.  
  
Voltaire stood up, scowling back at Kai as the other two took time to collect themselves. "You shall call me grandfather!" the man scolded.  
  
"Anya? Anya! No! It's not possible!" Samson exclaimed, once again shaking with tears as he leant over her.  
  
Rhea bit her lip, also shaken by the loss.  
  
Kai staggered to get up and limped over to stand defensively between his two friends and Voltaire. "You guys take Anya and Kieran back to Biovolt. I'll finish things off here."  
  
"But Kai-you can't handle this all by yourself," Rhea protested, Samson too busy trying to come to grips as he stared at the wound between her eyes.  
  
"I'm a Hilanov, remember? You've got to have faith in me."  
  
Rhea stared at him a moment before turning back to Samson and reaching past him to take Anya in her arms. "Come on, Samson. You heard Kai. Go get Kieran."  
  
Samson stood up, his words now stutters and beginnings that slurred together, making no sense at all. Nevertheless, he obeyed the order, walking with an uneven swagger as he followed Rhea to the exit of the field.  
  
"We're counting on you, Kai!" Rhea called after them.  
  
Kai looked back to Voltaire. "Where were we, grandfather?" he sneered, hardening the last word.  
  
Voltaire raised the gun again, this time aiming for Sarah. "Please move, my grandson. I don't want to hurt you, as you could prove valuable later in life."  
  
Kai didn't reply, but didn't move, either.  
  
"Kai?" Voltaire asked, lowering the firearm again and surveying him in puzzlement. He smirked evilly. "Surely your betrayal at the Russian tournament meant nothing towards me?"  
  
"You're wrong, old man. I've hated you since I found out the reason about me being brought up in the Abbey. You killed Rhea's and my parents. You placed us in that Abbey to make us become the ultimate Beybladers and manipulative tools for your own selfish purposes!"  
  
"Oh, so you found out the truth about Xenia and Kajirou, did you?" Voltaire questioned, his grin growing wider.  
  
"Kajirou?" Kai repeated puzzledly.  
  
"You mean to tell me you don't even know your father's own name? His full name was Kajirou, but everyone just shortened it. He failed me as you have. Like father, like son. That was why I had to kill him."  
  
"Then what about my mother?"  
  
"She would have found out the truth sooner or later, so I had to deplete the witnesses. Now move, or die," Voltaire finished, aiming it again.  
  
Kai held his ground. "I'll take the latter."  
  
Without another word, Voltaire quickly shifted its aim and fired. Kai felt excruciating pain and then a sickness to his stomach. He struggled to keep on his feet for a moment or two while holding his hands to the new wound. He swayed a little before sinking to his knees and clenching his teeth in agony.  
  
"That's surprising-you're not dead, my grandson," Voltaire observed matter-of-factly. "Most would die of a wound to the gut."  
  
Kai forced himself to open his eyes and raise his head to scowl and clench his teeth at Voltaire shakily. He tightened his grip just below his chest and slightly to the left. The bullet had broken the mid-torso armour, the strong fabric, his skin and body. It had made a clean hole through him and caused a pain like he had never felt before. He could feel the blood secreting freely from it.  
  
Kai watched as Voltaire aimed again, this time for Sarah. But Kai couldn't yell or knock him down has he had done before-he was paralyzed from the shock and agony. He heard the rifle fire, the sickening fleshy sinking sound and equally nauseating crack of some sort of bone. He screwed his eyes shut, allowing the tears to sting his cheeks, knowing full well that his grandfather had won him over.  
  
"One down, one to go," Voltaire said, now aiming for Tala.  
  
"No!" Kai wheezed in the strongest voice he could muster. He felt a vibration coming from his side and turned his head slowly to see red emitting from his Beyblade in his belt.  
  
The light shone brightly, but was withdrawn to a single, short beam coming from the Bit Chip. But as Kai stared at it in wonderment, the beam began to take the form of the red bird and ascended from the dead blade torpidly. It headed forward to Voltaire, who was about to fire, but raised his head and gasped at the spirit slowly advancing towards him through the air.  
  
Voltaire took a few wary steps back just as the phoenix sped up to warp speed and charged headlong through the old man's chest. Voltaire's mortified expression froze for a moment on his face as his chest was pierced and he began to waver. The red streak of light left his back rather violently, dragging a reluctant black soul with it up into the dark clouds of the night.  
  
Voltaire finally rolled his eyes back into his head and his eyelids closed as he fell and landed on the ground with a thud, his arms and legs sprawled out as he lay on his back. The gun fell from his right hand. Kai looked up from the dormant body of his grandfather to his Bit Beast returning from the clouds to its Beyblade. Kai took one hand from the wound and held it out shakily. He sighed and leant forward, still on his knees to catch his breath before crawling, one hand clutched to his wound, over to the left side of Voltaire.  
  
Still holding his right hand to his wound, he reached with his left hand into his belt and extracted his dagger. He held it out in front of him as he struggled to fight the pain and strength he was rapidly losing.  
  
"You...You used me right from the beginning... You used both Rhea and I... You stole our only happiness by killing Xenia and Kajirou and then placed us in that miserable Abbey!" he panted. "Then you betrayed not only us, but your employees by working for both companies and then ultimately turning to the side other than your relatives were on. I want you to know... that I hate you, Grandfather!" Kai lifted his quivering hand with the dagger in it high above his head. Tears of hatred and anger as he stared at the comatose man's face. He didn't flinch when a loud crash of thunder sounded and lightning illuminated the dark sky momentarily.  
  
"A-as you die,... I want you to know... that I hate you, Grandfather Voltaire! I can't allow you to plague my life and stand in the way of my ambitions anymore!" he yelled, causing a quick depletion of breath as he brought the knife down in one swift movement.  
  
It hit Voltaire straight in the heart, blood squirting from the wound on impact and dousing Kai's hand with even more of the dark red liquid. Kai held it there for a moment or two, beginning to feel the cool sensation of rain against the nape of his neck. He released his grip on the black handle, still panting heavily from the outburst as the rain fell in heavier sheets.  
  
He turned to glower at the face of Voltaire again. "To...to think I once...loved you..." he gasped before forcing himself to stand up and take his hands from his wound.  
  
Then Kai paused, staring wide-eyed and in horror at the body. "It's...just like in my dream! Rhea was right! It was me that would...that would kill...Voltaire! I wonder...just how much else... in there...is the foretelling of fate..."  
  
After having recovered from his shock, he staggered around the other side of Voltaire and took hold of the man's trenchcoat by the shoulders. He stumbled across the grass, trying to drag the man's body with him to the pond. A few metres away, he finally made it to the pond and flopped down beside the body to catch his breath again. He then turned around, and using some of the meagre strength he had left, he heaved the body, including the dagger still thrust into it, into the pond. Voltaire rolled over and hit the water face-first before sinking like a rock from the heavy clothing.  
  
Kai watched as it sunk, breathing heavily and lowering his head, the tears staining his cheeks again as he sat before the pond as the rain fell on him. "There...Now no one else can suffer...From what Rhea and I already have..." After a minute or two, he suddenly remembered something else and raised his head, turning it to where his comrades lay either dormant or dead. Kai pushed himself to his feet and limped half the way back to Sarah with the very last of his strength, but collapsed.  
  
He fell to his knees, gripping his torso as tight as he could, now trying to stop the agony. He looked up to Sarah, and saw a flash of light from his Beyblade that he had left on the ground. The red left its Bit Chip again, to return to the clouds, and came back down a few seconds later with a purple spirit. It entered through Sarah's chest, and exited again, gathering another soul of red from the clouds and restoring it to Tala's body before zipping back to its Bit Chip.  
  
Kai watched Dranzer disappear into his blue Beyblade, glanced back to Sarah and Tala, and smiled sadly. "What would I do without you, Dranzer?" he questioned rhetorically before toppling to his left and rolling onto his back. He stared wanfully at the dark grey sky pouring rain down on him as he grasped his stomach. "He tried to...bring them both back..." he said quietly, flinching at a sudden sharp pain and closing his eyes.  
  
Her head ached as if she had been bludgeoned by something. And her face was covered in something wet, warm, and sticky, though it was quickly being cooled by what felt like rain. She forced her eyelids open, but closed them immediately on being pelted by water. Eyes screwed shut, she sat up and held her throbbing head. She groaned before finally opening her eyes. The first thing she saw was the pond before her, just as she had remembered before she had been knocked out. She turned her head to her left to see the bodies of Vitality Extortion and Tale lined up.  
  
She gasped and got onto all fours, causing a throbbing in her head that blurred her vision. She crawled over to them, nonetheless. "Spica?" she called, her voice a quiet rasp. She looked to the others, her eyes watering at the peaceful looks. Seeing Kuiper's eyes still wide open, she reached out to his face, brushing his bangs from it and running her hand horizontally down his face, closing his eyes so that he looked like the rest.  
  
"I'm sorry." She pulled her hand away eerily, his face being cold and forbidding. She glanced to Tala and reached for his face, placing her hand on his cheek. Unlike Kuiper's, it was warm. Glancing to Vitality Extortion again, her vision became even more obscured, but she turned as she heard a loud groan from behind her. Through the thick sheets of rain was a body lying on the grass.  
  
She crawled over to it, the agony in her head pulsating once again. Leaning on all fours over the body, she gasped when she recognized the pale, helpless face as Kai's. "Kai?" she said quietly.  
  
His eyes opened slowly, and widened when he saw her face. "Sarah...You're alive!"  
  
She reached out and propped him up with her arm cradling his head and other hand grasping one of his quivering hands. "Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
Kai continued to stare wide eyed at her sympathetic face, but blinked when he saw a red drop plummet and land just to the left of his mouth. Sarah saw it fall, too, looked upward absently, and slipped her hand from Kai's to touch her forehead. Through her ripped glove fingers, she felt the sickening wound, every stream of blood and trace of singed or broken tissue. She pulled her hand away to examine it.  
  
"I'm bleeding..." she started. She lowered her gaze to Kai's stunned brown eyes. "What happened to me?"  
  
"V-Voltaire..." Kai stuttered. "He killed you with a rifle... But then I stabbed him and threw him into the pond...I've hated him for too long..."  
  
"Voltaire?" Sarah repeated. "As in your grandfather, Voltaire?"  
  
Kai nodded, and then Sarah noticed his hands, fixing her eyes on his chest. "What happened to you?"  
  
"He shot me, too..." Kai mumbled, his wide eyes closing as he blinked slowly. He took his hands from the gaping hole. "As you can see, you should savour your last moments with me."  
  
"No, Kai!" Sarah exclaimed, unconsciously shaking him with the sudden shock of the comment. "You can't die-not now-we've come too far...for you to...to..." she trailed off in mid-sentence.  
  
Kai's wanful expression changed into a smile as he watched tears stream from her eyes. "I'm sorry to say...this is it."  
  
"No!...It...it can't be!" Sarah whipped her head around on hearing another groan from behind her. She saw Tala sit up and rub his head ruefully. "Tala!" she called through the rain. "Come here!"  
  
Tala turned his head towards them with logy. "What is it?"  
  
"Kai! Just come!"  
  
Tala glanced to his right, and shivered on the sight of Vitality Extortion's bodies. He eased himself onto his feet lethargically before limping over to where Kai and Sarah were. He knelt down beside them, eyes still half-closed. "What is it?"  
  
Sarah turned her head away and to Kai's face. "He's been shot...He thinks he's going to die... But he can't, Tala...Tell him he's talking nonsense! Tell him he's wrong this time!"  
  
Tala's eyes opened fully at the words, and he cast a serious glare at Kai, who had been looking back at him throughout the time Sarah spoke. Tala's expression seemed to say, 'I can't do anything...I can't make you live or die...' Kai's expression said the same, his smile daunted by her ignorance.  
  
Tala looked up to Sarah's face. "Sarah?"  
  
She looked to him, and he drew back. "What happened to you?"  
  
"She was also shot by Voltaire," explained Kai.  
  
"She should be dead!" exclaimed Tala.  
  
"I'm fine! In any case, I'm in better condition than Kai," Sarah urged, looking back to him.  
  
"Anya has also been shot."  
  
"What?!" Sarah and Tala both exclaimed in unison.  
  
Kai closed his eyes. "I regret to say that she was hit by a stray bullet from Voltaire. But Rhea is alive."  
  
Tala's eyes faltered as he stared at Kai and then glanced around nervously, trying to take it in.  
  
"Where are they, then? And what about Samson?" Sarah interrogated.  
  
Kai drew a sharp intake of breath before speaking again. "Samson's fine, though slightly traumatized. Rhea and Samson took Kieran and Anya back to Biovolt along with everyone else."  
  
"We're the only ones left on the field..." Sarah trailed off and glancing around.  
  
Kai didn't answer, too busy surveying Tala's reaction. He didn't notice Sarah return the focus of her attention to him. "Kai? Are you feeling better now? If we hurry, we can get back to Biovolt so that you can get medical attention."  
  
"I won't make it. Besides, I'd like to die out of Boris' control."  
  
"Kai! Don't be so pessimistic!" she scolded, unconsciously shaking him again. "You always sacrifice yourself for others in battle, but what about yourself? What about the people that care about you, Kai?"  
  
Kai averted his gaze. "What people that care?"  
  
"Rhea, Tala, me-!"  
  
"Sarah, drop it," Tala said calmly and with slight annoyance, obviously sobered by the news.  
  
Sarah glared at him helplessly but whirled back when she felt Kai drop slightly. He had closed his eyes and collapsed his chest significantly. "Kai!" He opened his eyes and smiled.  
  
"Just leave me here. I'll make it to the afterlife on my own. You two had better get back to Biovolt or you'll get pneumonia from this rain."  
  
Sarah raised her arm, bringing Kai closer to her without really being aware of it. "Kai, you can't die! I won't allow it!"  
  
Kai continued to smile as he reached up and placed his finger over her lips, silencing her. He then moved his hand up and ran it across her cheek, wiping the tears from it. She gasped and choked on her tears as she kept direct eye contact with him. He ran his fingers to her forehead and pushed her wet hair behind her ear.  
  
"We all have to let go. And if you love me, that's the greatest thing you can do for me."  
  
Sarah's frustrated expression softened into confusion. "We're friends, aren't we? With life-long debts to each other? Surely that 'life- long' part is longer than this?"  
  
Kai didn't answer but looked to Tala instead. "Take care of Rhea and her for me."  
  
"Kai..." Tala muttered hesitantly, half raising his arm to reach out.  
  
"I remember... an old friend once telling me, 'not to dwell on the past, for it will only hurt your will to move ahead'," Kai reminisced, closing his eyes momentarily but opening them again.  
  
"Kai..." Both Sarah and Tala whispered in unison. Sarah took hold of Kai's hand again and this time so did Tala. Their hands rested on his wound. "Not now, Kai... You're a strong fighter and you can't give up or give in..." Sarah pressed.  
  
Kai shook his head slowly and grimaced on feeling a sharp pain surge from the wound. Through his grimace, he managed to gasp, "'Til death do us part..." His hand clenched firmly around both of theirs, but when the cringe was gone, so was the squeeze of life. It went limp in their grasp.  
  
"Kai!" Sarah screamed, jerking him again. "Kai! No!"  
  
Tala let go of their hands and drew it back slowly to his chest, staring at Kai's pale face. "This...can't be happening..." he whispered.  
  
Sarah lowered her head to his chest and screamed, making Tala cringe slightly as he heard her stop, catch her breath and shake with sobs. She shook her head against his chest, still gripping his hand tightly and supporting his limp head. "No...No..." she kept choking.  
  
Seeing this, and trying to take all of it in made Tala teary-eyed, too. As soon as he felt it trickle down his cheek, he blinked the rest away and swiped at his eyes with his bloodied glove. "I must be strong..." he whispered determinedly. He looked up at the crash of thunder and flash of lightning. He glanced to Sarah sympathetically before taking in a deep breath and standing up.  
  
He placed his arms around her shoulders. "Come on. We'd better get back to Biovolt as he said. It's what he'd want us to do. There's...nothing we can do for him now," Tala consoled, his voice cracking and becoming choked.  
  
Sarah didn't move, and continued to sob. Tala knelt down behind her and reached around her to release her weak arms from the body. "He said to leave him here. If that's what he wants, we would honour him by doing so," he said, laying Kai down gently on the soaked grass.  
  
Tala tapped her shoulders lightly, and she stood up slowly, covering her face. He kept his arms around her shoulders as they turned and began to walk across the field. He looked over his shoulder and back at Kai just as a flash of lightning came. "As an old friend once told me, 'I hope we can meet again, someday.' Goodbye, Kai..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next chapter is the very last [actual] one, I promise. But if you want to know how Sarah, Tala, and the rest of Biovolt will get along without Kai, or what's going to happen to Goadbwa now that it's lost its heads, or how Eva, Rhea, and Samson will cope with Kieran and Anya's deaths, you're going to have to review! I'm not updating 'til I get one! 


	25. Reprise

OKAY THEN! Whoever I'm talking to (if anyone anymore), let's all give a REALLY big thank you to Cold-Heritage for the updating of this chapter and the first of the sequel. And Cold-Heritage, I really appreciate it, and I'm not saying stop, but, I'd just like to draw your attention to the word, "overkill". Add "Gratitude" to your list of words to look up as well! Heh, heh...that's funny...I thought everyone would hate Sarah (female at least). Guess I was wrong... -_-'  
  
==========  
  
24. Reprise  
  
"Exactly what was their position before you left the battlefield?"  
  
"Voltaire had cornered Kai between himself, Tala, and Sarah. Kai told us to get Anya and Kieran back to Biovolt, and so we took his advice, fearing he knew something that we didn't," Rhea replied to Boris promptly.  
  
Boris turned away from her and surveyed the street through his single eye. His head had been bandaged, along with one grazed eye and a broken arm. He was beginning to get restless, as the control room supervisors and Rhea stood just outside the Abbey gates awaiting the return of the last three fighters.  
  
Boris looked down to Kenny at his side, who was analyzing data on his laptop. "Do we have anything from Tala?"  
  
"No contacts whatsoever," Kenny explained, raising his head. "If indeed he has his soul back and is alive, something must be interfering with our transmission systems."  
  
Lutka placed a hand on Boris' shoulder. "We'd better go inside and wait. We'll only catch our death of hypothermia out here, especially those who have just returned from battle."  
  
"Right," Boris agreed, focusing on the end of the street a while longer before turning on his heel and following the throng back in the gates.  
  
"Where are they?" Tyson questioned rhetorically, gazing aimlessly upward and becoming impatient.  
  
"Hold still, Tyson!" Emily scolded, still trying to bandage a cut on his hand. "I'm sure they're coming back. They have to be."  
  
"But what if they aren't?"  
  
The teams looked to the pessimist-Philemon. "If they've been gone this long, we shouldn't get our hopes too high."  
  
"You're such a spoilsport," Oliver countered. "You have to-"  
  
"Have faith, I know," he interrupted.  
  
"Oliver is right, guys," Michael concurred. "We've got to think positively at such times."  
  
Robert stood up from his seat, and suddenly all attention was drawn to him. "Come on. We'll think about this later. Right now we've got a Russian welcoming party to entertain," he said, heading for the door and walking down the hallway.  
  
They all looked back to each other, but then to the doorway a moment later when they heard a door loudly creak open and then gasps and yells. Eva was the first out of her seat and to dash over to where Robert stood at the junction in the corridor. Her face was surprised, but then brightened into a smile.  
  
As the others rushed to the junction, they did the same, some running forward in their excitement.  
  
"They're back!" Kevin exclaimed.  
  
Tala was the first to raise his head of the two. His stern expression and hand that he quickly held out in front of him stopped Boris, the first to rush forward, a few feet away. "Keep away," Tala ordered. The glove on his right outstretched hand was missing, but Boris knew where it had gone when he followed Tala's gaze to what lay supported in his left arm.  
  
Tala's arm curled around her back and held her firmly at the stomach while her arm encircled his shoulder and neck. She was barely supporting herself and looked ready to collapse to the floor should Tala so much as move a muscle. Her head lay resting against her chest, and she didn't seem to show any signs of life as blood dripped from a wound in her forehead. Though Tala's glove had been wrapped around her head to serve as something to staunch the bleeding, it had now soaked through, and both his hands were covered with her blood.  
  
"What happened?" Boris demanded, reaching out shakily.  
  
Tala gazed at her with sympathetic eyes. "She was shot by that evil man, Voltaire. She's practically bleeding to death and near passing out, if not death itself. I've been trying to stop the bleeding, but as you can see..." He held out his hands, Sarah swaying in his grasp as his moved his left arm.  
  
Enrique, one of the people at the front lines, stared in horror at Tala's hands. He looked up to Tala's eyes, which were observing his red hands. "What's the wound like, exactly?"  
  
Tala turned his head to meet his blue eyes. Tala held her to him steadily as he raised her head slowly with his right hand. Using his teeth and single hand, he untied the knot in his glove, and it fell to the reddened stones as another gasp rose from the onlooking crowd.  
  
When everyone had half recovered from their shock, Bryan popped the question hesitantly. "Wh-...What about...Where's...Kai?"  
  
At this comment, Tala glanced away from the comatose Sarah and bore through Bryan's lavender eyes. If possible, that icy blue was icier than it ever was, but suddenly softened as he blinked and his gaze wavered. Tala felt tears burn his cheeks and moisten the blood already coated there.  
  
Emily gulped as she stared at Tala. "No...Kai can't..."  
  
"He couldn't have..." Lee tried to add, but he became choked up as well.  
  
"Kai's...much stronger than that!" Mariah cried in disbelief.  
  
"He's dead..."  
  
As if the words awoke her, Sarah opened her eyes and straightened herself in Tala's arms. She gave a small groan as she surveyed her surroundings groggily. "Wh-...where am I?"  
  
"Back at Biovolt," Tala said quietly to her. "It's all over."  
  
He felt her jump and let go of her completely. She gazed around frantically. "Kai!"  
  
"He's dead!" the same person as before repeated, with annoyance this time. All eyes turned to Tyson, who had his head down and fists clenched. He shook with anger. "Who killed him, Tala?"  
  
Tala withdrew slightly at Tyson using his words so harshly at this time. "I didn't... see it happen, but he said... that...Voltaire..."  
  
"His own grandfather! How cold-hearted can you get?!" Tyson exclaimed, finally raising his head. The fires of anger burned in his dark blue eyes.  
  
"He served the justice by killing Voltaire," Sarah blurted out, but immediately threw her hands to her face and began crying full-force again. "Kai...Kai died in my arms... and he said that he held rancour for his grandfather until the very minute he died!"  
  
There was silence among the crowd as Tyson fumed and Sarah sobbed. Then, Kenny glanced down at Tala's leg. "What happened to you, Tala?!"  
  
Tala also looked down. He reached down and fingered one of the stray wires and then raised his head back to Kenny. "To tell the truth, I'm not entirely sure... I remember that I was shot by Ophelia there, but the wound wasn't that big, then. Maybe it happened when I blacked out..."  
  
"If you're all done here, there are people waiting," Judy encouraged.  
  
"People waiting?" Tala inquired, turning to the director.  
  
Judy smiled sadly and looked to Boris. Boris nodded, and motioned for the group to follow him. Tala began to limp, but stopped when Sarah had lost her balance and fell against a wall, still crying. He changed direction and placed his hands on her quavering shoulders.  
  
"Come on, we've got to be strong. Boris wants us to see something. You can't go on like this-"  
  
Tala stopped in mid-sentence and gazed down the hall, where the crowd was parting to allow someone through. "Sarah! Sarah!" their exuberant yells echoed.  
  
Samson, his head only half-bandaged, thrust himself past Johnny, Emily, and Ray, tripping on Ray's foot but managing to catch his balance before falling flat on his face. Still, Samson rushed forward, arms held wide out, and still calling her name frantically. Samson barely halted when he reached her, and therefore almost knocked her over as his arms peeled her away from the wall.  
  
"You're okay! You're okay...Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" he wept, squeezing her in a vice grip, Tala eyeing the ordeal closely.  
  
Sarah hugged her brother back. "Samson...You...You're still here..."  
  
After a while longer of tears and embrace, Tala looked up at hearing more footsteps from down the hall, and this time another person pushed through the frozen crowd.  
  
"Samson!" Irina scolded, but she froze when she saw Tala. She walked forward slowly and stood solemnly before him. "I'm sorry about Anya," she said calmly, her tone almost more sobering than Kai's.  
  
Tala glared back up at her with tired eyes. "Don't be, Mrs. Langley. We must follow God's will."  
  
Irina nodded slowly and looked ready to reach down and hug him when she noticed her two children to her right. She cut in, Samson backing away reluctantly. She glared down at her daughter sternly for a moment, and Sarah stared back up, fear in her eyes.  
  
"First, you agree to take part in this whole 'Hilanov' business without either your father's or my consent," Irina began, irritation clear in her voice. "Then, you start going into battle with no concern for yourself or your brother whatsoever. After which, you have a small, but nonetheless 'current age inappropriate' affair with Tala. Then, even if I agreed to help you, it was your original idea to disobey your uncle's strict orders. You went to the battlefield and lost many lives through your recklessness, which then became weakness! I don't know about you, but I think these deeds seem deserving of a punishment."  
  
Sarah stared back up at her for a moment or two before trying to protest. "But, Mother, I-"  
  
"I don't want to hear it."  
  
"Mom, she's a Hilanov-these things are required of her!" Samson countered.  
  
Irina whipped around to him. "It would explain almost everything except the relationship with Tala, and I want you to stay out of this."  
  
Tala cringed on hearing the demeaning statement again.  
  
Samson drew back out of hurt innocence as Irina returned her scowl to her daughter. Her brown eyes bore into Sarah's green ones as she slowly raised her hand. "You've ignored everything that your father and I have ever tried to teach you." Irina brought down her hand, and Sarah screwed her eyes shut. She opened them, however, when the smack and twinge didn't come.  
  
Sarah opened one eye, and then the other hesitantly, and found her mother's hand hovering just beside her cheek. Sarah raised her head to see her moth beaming gratefully at her.  
  
"And let me tell you, Sarah, I couldn't be more proud," she said, reaching out and embracing her daughter.  
  
Sarah stared straight ahead in astonishment; meeting with Tala's confused eyes as she felt her mother quiver with sobs and wet her uniform with tears.  
  
"When...your uncle first told me that you were one of the prophesied ones, I had to admit...I was scared of what might've happened to you. But as I began to watch you, Tala, and Kai fight alongside your teams and the other deploys, my feelings about the whole situation changed. When you went into the final battle against Boris' orders, I thought for sure, no matter how much optimism I had that you wouldn't return alive. But it seems that you've proved me wrong again...Celeste..."  
  
"Mother..." Sarah trailed off, gazing sympathetically at Irina.  
  
"But if Xenia and Kajirou were alive..." Irina continued, squeezing her tighter and sobbing harder. "How would they feel without their son, Kai? Kaji would have lost him to his own father!"  
  
"Mother..." Sarah trailed off again, this time raising her gaze to Tala, who still had the same confused look.  
  
"Irina, they're getting restless," Boris vociferated from halfway down the hall.  
  
Irina pulled away from Sarah and stood up at full height. She sniffed before reaching her hands for Tala and Sarah's shoulders. Tala pulled away slightly, feeling paranoid that she would somehow hurt him because of what had happened the few weeks earlier.  
  
The whole group moved down the hall, Boris in the lead, until they came to a bend in the hallway. Boris stepped out from the group and onto a small balcony that led to a view of the pond from the castle.  
  
"We are gathered here today to commemorate a legacy in the making. For thousands of years, the spirits have helped to protect the human race from the evil that lurks within it!" he yelled out across the balcony. To Tala and Sarah at the edge of the throng, it looked as if he were only yelling out at the lake, as a stone wall obstructed their view.  
  
"The Bit Beasts are juggernauts-unstoppable spirits that brought down the company of Goadbwa with the help of their masters. Without them, our souls would all be evil Bit Beast enhancements for Gilepse Galsky and Vitality Extortion."  
  
"What's he talking about?" Tala questioned rhetorically.  
  
"And who's he talking to?" added Sarah.  
  
Irina looked down at the two and then raised her head to her brother, smiling. "You'll see."  
  
"So, allow us to greatly thank our saviours for their devotion to the sweat, blood, and tears that they shed so that we may live as people and not slaves for the enemy! Let us honour the Hilanovs! Sarah Langley and Tala Romanov!" Boris exclaimed, throwing his hands wide.  
  
Irina nudged Tala and Sarah forward. "Go on. That means you two."  
  
They both moved forward rather hesitantly, both looking back to Irina and then meeting with all the eyes in the hallway that were on them. The group parted for them, and Boris' welcoming hands as he beamed at them beckoned Tala forward. Sarah took one last wary glance at her mother before scurrying to catch up with Tala.  
  
Boris urged them to step out onto the balcony, and both of them gasped at the sight before their eyes.  
  
Hundreds of people, maybe even thousands, began to bow before the remaining two. They were al crowded on the stone platform just before the pond, and those farther away made crowds around the edge of the pond. Some children had even been forced into the shallow waters, not that they minded.  
  
Tala glanced tiredly around the worshippers. "This is...pointless. We don't deserve something like this."  
  
"Yes, of course you do, my child," Boris consoled, bending over and placing his hands on both their shoulders. "Not all your age would have the courage to stand up to an entire company, let alone have the power to bring it down."  
  
"Vitality Extortion did, and look where they wound up," Sarah protested, like Tala, keeping her gaze averted from the man.  
  
"Kai is on the same path, is he not?"  
  
The two finally turned their heads. "I still find it unfair, sir," Tala repeated. "We didn't really do anything of our own will. It was all forced fighting, and if we didn't have the powers of the Ancient Hilanovs reincarnated inside of us, we probably wouldn't have been able to have been so successful."  
  
"That is exactly my point," Boris replied.  
  
Sarah was the first to look away. "I believe Tala means that the power didn't originally come from us. We're just feeding of the power and strength of another person that just so happened to be transferred to us."  
  
Boris took his hands away and stood at full height, puzzled at the statements coming from the two teens.  
  
Sarah raised her hand and swiped at the tears welling up in her eyes. "Tala's right we don't deserve this. Not without Kai, at least." She took out her Beyblade and stared at her fox Bit Beast within the Bit Chip. "Both Fovular and I owe him. We both owe him our lives as well, Tala. He sacrificed himself so that we could live."  
  
Tala looked to her, intending to say something but he didn't know what. When he finally found the words, he made to open his mouth, but was interrupted by a door slamming open and a familiar yell.  
  
"Boris!"  
  
A gasp ran through the crowd and there were hushed whispers as the throng turned their heads to the doorway. One by one, the voices stopped as they all began to recognize the battered figure.  
  
He kept his head down as he panted and held one hand firmly against the large wooden door. "I...I won't give in...to Voltaire or Goadbwa!" He raised his head with a great effort.  
  
"Kai!" Sarah and Tala both exclaimed in unison, having poked their heads around the corner at the reaction of the crowd.  
  
As if with the fully regained energy, Sarah rushed forward, arms held out wide. The crowd parted in unison once more to allow her passage. Kai, seeing her hurtling towards him, drew back slightly out of hesitation. When she threw her arms around him, he was still rather uncomfortable about it. He looked up to the rest of the group, each of them keeping their distance.  
  
Kai glanced down to Sarah again, who was weeping against his shoulder. "It's okay. I'm okay. You don't have to make such a big deal of it," Kai consoled, but he found himself becoming choked up as well.  
  
"I didn't know! How was I supposed to react? You... I'm...just glad that you listened to my advice," she sobbed, not lifting her head.  
  
"What advice?"  
  
"You could make it back to Biovolt if you just tried. You're here now...Kai...I don't ever want to lose you."  
  
Kai felt her grasp his body tighter, and stared blankly ahead at the crowd again. Tala still hadn't come to greet him. The expression on the boy's face as he stood in the balcony was unreadable, but he was sure it wasn't all happiness and joy. Kai looked to her quivering body and slowly outstretched his arms. Such a display of affection was rare between the two, let alone with him and anyone else—that was why it felt so awkward. Before Biovolt had infiltrated Goadbwa, they had hugged, but that didn't compare to what Tala and her had done when Goadbwa infiltrated.  
  
Kai was confused. Which one counted or did neither? Was one strong act equal to two less significant ones? Whatever the reason, he felt the same bond that Tala did and curled his body around hers. "Stop. You'll cry your eyes out with all the tears you shed."  
  
"You're not dead. With all the blood you've shed?"  
  
"The same to you. We're both living miracles, I suppose."  
  
"Not entirely. Don't you remember what Boris told us before we went out on this whole Hilanov venture?"  
  
Kai looked up and Sarah turned around to see Tala sauntering up to them along with the rest of the group.  
  
"What are you talking about?" questioned Kai.  
  
Tala folded his arms. "You mean to tell me you don't remember a thing?"  
  
"No, we don't," Sarah replied, becoming slightly annoyed.  
  
Tala smirked. "We're immortal."  
  
A look of realization crossed both Kai and Sarah's faces, the crowd sighed or rolled their eyes.  
  
"So what you were trying to do is scare us half to death saying that Kai or Sarah might not survive when their existence was guaranteed all along?" Kenny cried, also annoyed.  
  
Tala turned to him with an innocent look. "I only just remembered now."  
  
"And he trained under Boris?" Philemon muttered to Max, who was standing beside him.  
  
"Just what do you mean by 'immortal', though, Tala?" inquired Michael. "Nothing lasts forever."  
  
Tala opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Boris stepping forward. "When these three were young, they were baptised under an incantation that would basically allow them immortality because of the pattern."  
  
"What pattern?" voiced Lee.  
  
Boris gestured to the three. "Each Hilanov has a soul support. I know you immediately think of Bryan, Tyson, and Eva, but that's not who I'm talking about. They're the auxiliary soul supports. Each Hilanov's primary soul support is actually another one of the Hilanovs."  
  
Steve cocked his head in puzzlement. "This whole soul support/soul realm thing is confusing..."  
  
"Not really," Boris continued. "Take Sarah for example. Her soul support is Kai, Kai's soul support is Tala's, and Sarah is Tala's support."  
  
"But what makes us different from the primary soul supports?" implored Eva.  
  
"And how does having a soul support tie in with their immortality?" added Johnny.  
  
"As soon as we at Biovolt first laid eyes on them, we knew they had potential. So, right after Sarah's cryogenation was complete, we held a baptismal ceremony for the three at which they were blessed with an incantation. This incantation allowed them, basically, immortality, because of the pattern on which we based it."  
  
"Which was...?" Max inquired.  
  
"The deciding factor between primary and auxiliary supports, to answer Eva's question. Sarah can't die unless Kai is dead, but Kai can't die without Tala's death first, but in order for Tala to die, Sarah would need to be dead. A auxiliary soul support merely supplies energy."  
  
"That would mean that they would all have to be killed at exactly the same time, then, right?" implied Robert. "Right down to the very last second?"  
  
"Exactly. As you can imagine, it would be an extremely difficult task, so they're virtually-"  
  
"Immortal, we know," Lutka interrupted Boris. "The only way for them to die would be if one were to break the spell. Thing is, only two people know the incantation, and Gone of them had taken that secret to his grave."  
  
Kevin glanced to the balcony and then back to the Hilanovs. "So then, what were to happen if the incantation were broken?"  
  
"And more importantly, who were these two that knew it?" added Ian.  
  
Boris, Irina and Lutka looked to each other, Irina answering. "To tell you the truth, Kevin, we don't know what would happen if the spell were to all of a sudden to be broken. I imagine that wounds healed by the spell would return rather unpleasantly, unfortunately... And who knew the counter-incantation, you ask, Ian? That's confidential information."  
  
There was silence except for the continuous cheering of the crowd from outside. Everyone had become quite sullen again. Lutka raised her head to Boris slowly. "Has Groups B returned yet?"  
  
Boris shook his head.  
  
"I wonder what happened to them...They were skilled enough not to allow an easy defeat..." Lutka replied, looking to the ground again.  
  
Mr. Dickenson tried to perk them all up by suddenly entering a jovial mood. "We must put our pasts behind us and start anew! Come along, that crowd isn't getting any younger."  
  
"Yeah, and Mr. D's no spring chicken!" Tyson added, adopting the second smile.  
  
Once again, they moved back to the balcony, Kai being supported by Sarah and Tala. This time, when they met the crowds, the gatherers cheered on seeing all three. Kai stared out at the crowds in astonishment.  
  
"Like it? Boris said that he and the rest of the Biovolt staff planned this just for us," Sarah explained.  
  
"Although it seems pointless to me," added Tala, glancing away apathetically.  
  
Kai turned his gaze towards his two partners. Sarah beamed back at him and Tala had his head turned. Noticing Tala made Kai remember something.  
  
Sarah noticed the slight jump of realization and inquired about it. "What is it, Kai?"  
  
Kai reached into his belt pouch and brought out a grey Beyblade. "I've something for you, Tala," he said, extending his hand.  
  
Tala turned back around, meeting with Kai's eyes. "What?" He lowered his gaze, following Kai's arm downward until he saw the familiar Bey. "That's Poltost! But...how?"  
  
"I think you'll be needing it more than Telesto."  
  
Tala took it shakily from his hand and stared at it in wonderment.  
  
Kai smiled. "I had to search Vitality Extortion's uniforms for their blades. But, I did manage to recover all three."  
  
"I assume this was because you wanted your parents' souls to rest in peace with their sons?" Sarah asked. "That's so noble of you."  
  
Kai nodded and blushed slightly, smiling again. The two turned to Tala as he muttered something. "Hear me, Father—I won't allow your soul to fall into evil hands again. I shall protect it."  
  
"Sadness. That's what we all know at the moment. We've all lost something dear to us," Sarah voiced quietly.  
  
Kai gave her a quizzical look. "What have you lost?"  
  
Sarah scowled, her eyes focussed straight ahead. "You should know."  
  
"Spica..." Kai whispered. "You were right. I was blind—I couldn't see the unnecessary bloodshed. She had changed, but I didn't listen to her explanation."  
  
Sarah continued to glare at the lake.  
  
"Sorry for hitting you, as well. I was frustrated about it all, I guess."  
  
When she didn't reply, he tried to read the expression on her face. "Are you angry at me?"  
  
She was silent for a moment. "I couldn't be angry with you, Kai." She finally looked to him. "And that's a good thing. You wouldn't want to experience my wrath."  
  
Kai began to smile again.  
  
"Well, boys, this is it—our fifteen minutes of fame. I say we live it up for all it's worth!" Sarah exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around the shoulders of the two.  
  
"It was a long, gruelling war, but we won it," Tala said with a smile. "Long live the Hilanovs!"  
  
"Our ancestors and Sacred Spirits protected us in ways we can only begin to comprehend. Now all that matters is the path ahead," Kai affixed.  
  
Both Kai and Tala reached their arms out behind them to place them around Sarah's waist, but their arms collided in the middle. They looked at each other, Tala scowling and Kai innocent, but then they both smiled.  
  
Sarah took no notice of the two arms holding her firmly between the two and continued with her declaration over the cheers of Biovolt. "Tala Romanov, Kai Hiwatari? I do believe we've fulfilled the Hilanov Prophecy!"  
  
Down in the darkened Hilanov tomb, unseen hands chiselled away at the ancient sandstone. In the wall under the names of previous Hilanovs, the new inscription in the extinct language read, "Kai, Tala, Sarah."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
AND THE END! Whoo, you can breathe now. We're done, but more importantly, I'M DONE!!! But now, about that sequel... Here are some of the things you can expect to see...  
  
GOADBWA'S DOWN, BUT THEY'RE NOT OUT—As well as rebuilding itself, the company has found a new president, and they're none other than a relative of the dead Gilepse. This new president will stop at nothing to avenge their father's death. They'll use the new Goadbwa mascot team to aide them—but this team and president you already know quite well...  
  
ALL IS NOT RIGHT WITH SARAH—She's got some new problems now that another Beyblader has entered her life. Make that two. Though she has finally become loyal to one blader in particular, this blader doesn't want to return the affection. Nor will her team leave her alone about the false accusations, and Tala's jealousy might just make things worse...  
  
RESTLESS SOULS—The Hilanovs will regret the deaths of Vitality Extortion. Spica, Telesto, and Kuiper aren't about to roll over and allow the Hilanovs to wallow in recuperation. They'll incorporate anything that might cause traumatizations and psychological dependence on someone weaker than the Hilanovs. These attempts at an unnatural downfall are, of course, all in addition to what the living of Goadbwa have in store...  
  
ESSENTIAL BETRAYAL—The BBA has finally figured out a connection between the Hilanov tomb and another coveted object. This is the very information that could allow for a certain victory. Only thing is, the team with the most information about it all has gone to Goadbwa's side...  
  
TALA HAS CHILD TROUBLES—You read it correctly. Having a daughter just complicates your life a whole lot more. Kai can vouch for that, but with the exception of a son, who is now working for the other side...  
  
THE MISSING ROMANOV—That's correct, too. Only Tala and his daughter know where they are. Meanwhile, the BBA must find a replacement. They find two Tala look-alikes, two alike in personality, one android, and one that has the same attraction to Sarah...  
  
THE THIRD BIOVOLT/GOADBWA BRANCH—The second segment of the on-going war is centred in Japan, the home of the Bladebreakers as well as the third international branches of both companies. Haku Shinzo of Biovolt's Ikoru Underground Base and Satoshi Anzen of Goadbwa's Miyato Dojo will be taking over for their Russian employers, as one's dead and the other serving's a fully-deserved yet belated jail sentence...  
  
And so that's what you can expect from The Hilanov Prophecy 2: V Force. But take heed; not all the events caused by the restless souls are fictional. Some are based on real events. Don't worry if you don't understand just yet—you'll know when we get to it. 


	26. Souls: Song Segment

Just a little song fic to go along with the story. I wrote the lyrics  
myself *bows*. Unfortunately, I didn't write the tune myself -.-... Anyway,  
the tune is to an instrumental piece called In Quest Of Uluru. If you  
happen to come across it someday, listen and match the lyrics to it! Or  
*try* at least...  
(A/N: Kai, Tala, and Sarah are supposed to be singing it so I've tried to  
make it as comprehensible as possible with that in mind.)  
Souls  
Sarah- Souls that fight as one,  
Fusion found and fusion done  
Though the blood runs freely  
I can clearly see  
In your eyes I see truth  
In what you believe  
You have faith in me  
Tala- Faith in me  
Kai- If I (know)  
Tala- If I know  
Just how and when to grow  
Destiny foretold  
In Prophecy  
Take my soul far away  
To live for a day  
Free of pain and all  
Sarah  
& Tala- World we shall en(thral)  
Kai- (Kill) me you can't  
'Cause I'm above you  
Immortal life  
Depending on you  
Hiwatari, Langley, and Romanov  
Make me a victim of your love  
Sarah Hair of red, eyes of blue,  
& Tala- Hair of blue  
Kai- Patriarchal, Papal, and Latin  
Cross that will save bring me  
Salvation  
Sarah Eyes of brown, hair of brown,  
& Tala- Eyes of green  
Kai- Take me you won't-  
My soul forbids it  
Though human I'm not,  
My heart is in it.  
Sarah- When I look around  
Tala- I see light  
Kai- The light so bright  
Sarah- Power of the souls that  
All- Gives us the will to fight.  
Tala- Wolborg  
Kai- Dranzer  
Sarah- Fovular  
Tala- Cyborg  
Kai- Syndicate  
Sarah- Cryogena (tion)  
Kai- Fight with our souls and we will  
Kai  
& Tala- Fight with our souls and we will  
All- Fight with our souls  
Sarah- And we will win!  
Here's some other songs you might want to check out (that I didn't write).  
There are four main ones, but I might as well give you the whole list.  
Bring Me To Life-Evanescence (Sarah's Theme)  
When I'm Gone-3 Doors Down (Kai's Theme)  
Always-Saliva (Tala's Theme)  
I Hate Everything About You-3 Days Grace (Vitality Extortion's Theme)  
Sleepless- Jan Arden  
Because of You- Nickelback  
If Only Tears Could Bring You Back-Blessid Union of Souls  
Goodbye-Spice Girls  
Fine Again- Seether  
Der Herr Ist Mein Hirte-E Nomine  
In The End- Linkin Park  
Insecure- SUM 41  
Brother Down- Sam Roberts  
Genocide- The Offspring  
Die Another Day- Madonna  
Iron Flower- K's Choice  
There is another song, which I did write myself in its entirety. The only  
thing that isn't from myself is the name; Life, which my close friend (and  
self-proclaimed co-writer she says) gave it, as I couldn't think of a  
suitable name. But you're going to have to wait for the lyrics and music to  
it! Maybe in the sequel... Meanwhile, another one is brewing in my head...  
I really should come up with my own themes for the characters as well...  
Then I'll have to make Mp3's and wavs and midis... 


End file.
